Yogi Adityanath attacks Rahul Gandhi over cleanliness in Gorakhpur

Adityanath made the comment while launching the 'Swachh Uttar Pradesh, Swasth Uttar Pradesh' campaign in Gorakhpur ahead of the Congress VP's scheduled visit to the place on Saturday.

Though media reports said the death of around 70 children occurred due of lack of oxygen supply, the Yogi government considered Encephalitis as the main reason behind the tragedy.

Speaking about combating Encephalitis, Adityanath was quoted by the TOI as saying: "I started movement against Encephalitis; when it comes to it, prevention is better than cure and it starts with sanitation."

"Encephalitis breeds in filth. The previous regime is responsible for the deaths due to Encephalitis" the CM added.

Taking a dig at the Congress VP, Adityanath said: "There's a 'yuvraj' (prince) sitting in Delhi, who doesn't understand the significance of a Swachhta Abhiyan. There's no valid reason why he should be permitted to turn Gorakhpur into his picnic spot."

The UP Chief Minister has come under fire from several opposition parties, who raised questions about his management skills.

Addressing a rally in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi said, "The BJP believes that there are enough private hospitals for the rich and so they aren't bothered about government hospitals."

Opposition leader and Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi too had condemned the incident.

A case has also been registered by a couple who hail from Bihar after they lost their child.

Baba Raghav Das Medical College is the biggest state-run hospital in Gorakhpur where the deaths had occurred, which also happens to be UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's Lok Sabha constituency.   

Image: Official Facebook page of Yogi Adityanath.