Bihar CM insensitive, says BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today called Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar "insensitive" as the toll of children who ate a mid-day meal at a state-run primary school in Bihar's Saran district rose to 22.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday called Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar "insensitive" as the toll of children who ate a mid-day meal at a state-run primary school in Bihar's Saran district rose to 22.

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"Instead of showing promptness in evacuating the children to a better medical facility, the chief minister of Bihar has announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs.2 lakh for kin of children who died after having a mid-day meal. This shows his insensitivity and callous attitude," said Rajiv Pratap Rudy, spokesperson of the party that shared power with the ruling Janata Dal-United for 17 years.

"Most of the children died as treatment was not up to the mark. Better medical facility and right treatment could have saved many children," he told a TV news channel here.

Ten of the 27 children admitted to a hospital remain critical.

Hundreds of people have been protesting in Saran since late Tuesday night, demanding strict action against government officials responsible for the tragedy.