MP Opposition Leader Demands $10 Lakh Compensation, Job for Families of Cough Syrup Victims

The tragic deaths of at least 14 children in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly after consuming contaminated cough syrup, have sparked intense political outrage, with the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, demanding an ex-gratia payment of ₹10 lakh for the victims’ families. In addition to the monetary compensation, Singhar has also called for a government job for one family member of each deceased child, raising the stakes in the growing controversy surrounding drug safety in the state.

The deaths, predominantly reported from the Chhindwara district, are suspected to be linked to the consumption of a cough syrup, ‘Coldrif,’ which recent lab reports have confirmed was adulterated with high levels of Diethylene Glycol (DEG)—a toxic industrial chemical known to cause acute kidney failure. The state government has already announced a compensation of ₹4 lakh for each bereaved family and banned the sale of the syrup and all other products from the Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer, Sresan Pharmaceuticals.

However, the Opposition Congress has severely criticised the government’s response, calling the announced compensation inadequate and accusing the state administration of negligence and a delayed crackdown on the lethal drug.

Call for Judicial Inquiry and Accountability

Addressing the press, LoP Umang Singhar launched a scathing attack on the Chief Minister and the Health Minister, questioning the government’s failure to prevent the tragedy. “Now, when so many children have died, you have banned that company. But you are filing a case against the doctor. What is the doctor’s fault?” Singhar questioned, alluding to the recent arrest of a local doctor for allegedly prescribing the contaminated syrup.

The core of Singhar’s demand centers on administrative accountability. He specifically questioned why the State’s Drug Controller had not been held responsible for the lapse in drug quality monitoring. “The government appoints the Drug Controller to deal with the medicine company. Why haven’t you held the Drug Controller accountable?” he demanded, asking the Chief Minister to immediately summon and seek answers from the Health Minister.

Singhar urged, “I believe immediate action is necessary. The Chief Minister should immediately seek answers from the Health Minister. He should summon him. A clean chit was given to the cough syrup company.”

The Opposition’s demand for ₹10 lakh ex-gratia and a job for the victims’ families is part of a broader push for a high-level, judicial inquiry into the entire supply chain and the quality control mechanisms that failed to flag the toxic syrup earlier. Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Kamal Nath, has also previously demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe under the monitoring of the Supreme Court, highlighting the perceived systemic failure.

The tragedy, which has shocked the nation, continues to unfold with at least eight children still admitted to hospitals and undergoing treatment, including some on dialysis. The state government has assured that it will bear the full medical expenses for all children still undergoing treatment. The ongoing police probe has already registered an FIR against the arrested doctor and the manufacturing firm. The Opposition’s intensified demands, however, underscore the growing pressure on the state government to provide not just financial aid, but also comprehensive justice and systemic reforms to prevent a recurrence of such a devastating public health crisis.