At least 60 children have lost their lives in over five days in a Gorakhpur hospital run by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh. The children in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital died because of infections and an alleged disruption of oxygen supply in the pediatrics ward.

While the deaths are being blamed on infections and on alleged oxygen supply shortage in the medical institute’s pediatrics ward, hospital and district administration rejected oxygen shortage as the reason. The oxygen cylinder supplier stopped supplying cylinders because the government-run hospital wasn’t paying dues amounting to Rs. 70 lakh despite the repeated reminders.

According to the reports, the sole supplier of liquid oxygen to the hospital had been writing letters regularly to the officials, saying the supply of oxygen could be disrupted if accumulated dues of Rs 68 lakhs were not cleared.The firm had written letters to BRD authorities on August 1 and August 8, cautioning them about a possible disruption. The letters, however, elicited no response.

The hospital authorities made a partial payment of Rs 21 lakhs against the accumulated dues only late on Friday, a day after 23 children had died at the nodal medical facility for the treatment of Japanese Encephalitis in the region.

Former Indian Cricketer took to Twitter on the matter and wrote something about earlier deaths. This didn’t go well with Twitterati as Sehwag tweeted about 50,000 deaths that have taken place due to encephalitis since it has been reported in 1978.

Sehwag tweeted, “Deeply pained by the loss of innocent lives in #Gorakhpur. More than 50000 children have lost their lives here since encephalitis was first reported in 1978, the year I was born. We Still haven’t figured a way to save innocent lives from a known disease. Heartbreaking!”

Deeply pained by the loss of innocent lives in #Gorakhpur . More than 50000 children have lost their lives here since encephalitis was 1/2

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 11, 2017

first reported in 1978, the year I was born. We Still haven’t figured a way to save innocent lives from a known disease. Heartbreaking !
2/2

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 11, 2017

Twitterati went furious against Sehwag for not openly criticizing the present government and the hospital. They termed his expression of feelings as fake and also stated that he belongs to BJP.

Twitter Reactions:

although we have found many ways to protect COWS !!!

— WhiteWalker (@Bird_Killer) August 11, 2017

aisi dlali ka kya fayda jisse #coach hi nhi ban skte.. aapke khel k deewane hai that’s not mean k dlali k bhi deewane honge

— waqaryunus (@waqaryunus2014) August 12, 2017

Dikhai nahi deta ya such dekhne ki aadat nahi hai, Poore desh ko pata hai bacche oxygen ki kami ki vajah se mare hain. Dalali band karo.

— Radheshyam Bhambhu (@bhambhumanyana) August 12, 2017

1978 मॆ लगता है कि केवल गधा ही पैदा हुआ था

— Satish Kumar (@SatishK15097168) August 12, 2017

Donate s few Crores we will find a cure mere lip service can have no cure

— S Ramani (@ramani06) August 11, 2017

चाटना छोड़ो,
राज्यसभा नही जा पाओगे ।
तुम्हारे बस की बात नही सत्य बोलना।।
चाटु, चाट सही से चाट

— Abul Lais Khan (@AbullaisKhan3) August 12, 2017

सोचिये…अगर 70बच्चों मे एक बच्चा आपका होता..? सहम गये ना.??
आपके नही,पर वो बच्चे किसी के तो थे…योगी और मोदी समर्थन मे अंधे तो मत बनो😢

— RISHIKESH SINGH (@RishiBhoomihar) August 12, 2017

They died cos of shortage of oxygen supply. Ek bachche ke baap ho tum bhi. Kuchh toh sharam karo

— Mehek (@MehekF) August 11, 2017

https://twitter.com/Ad__vaith/status/896059960336850944

Arre sir.. Yogi जी के राज में हुआ तो 1978 की बात भी आ गयी.. गजब के दलाल हो आप..

— Aa gaye achche din. (@RoflMessi) August 11, 2017

पहले देश के लिये खेलते थे आप
लेकिन आजकल बिजेपी के खेल रहे हो….
शर्म कर लो कुछ….@virendersehwag

— नरेन्द्र चौधरी (@Narendralegha66) August 12, 2017

I think he’s the spokperson of Bjp bcoz he gave the same reason what Bjp is giving.but died deu to lack of oxygen

— hilaly (@HilalyArif) August 11, 2017

It’s not the diseases that killed these children this time. It’s the failure of the system and you know that. How hypocritic of you !

— Niranj (@niranjpc) August 11, 2017

Sir main app ka bahut bada fan hon but muja nahi malom thaa ki aap bhi bjp ka chmcha hain bachcha kyon expire hoi pura india janta hai

— Javed Akhtar (@JavedAk60880074) August 12, 2017

What do you say about Gorakhpur Tragedy and Sehwag’s tweet? Share your views with us in the comments section below.