Rajasthan Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasra has called for the immediate resignation of Health Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, holding the BJP-led state government squarely responsible for the catastrophic fire that engulfed the neuro ICU of Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, claiming eight innocent lives just two days ago.

The tragedy unfolded late Sunday night when flames tore through the second floor of the hospital's trauma centre, a lifeline for critically injured patients across the region. Out of 11 patients on life support in the neuro ICU, six perished in the blaze, while two more from an adjacent ICU succumbed later despite heroic evacuation efforts by staff. The inferno, triggered by a suspected short circuit in faulty wiring, filled the ward with thick, toxic smoke, turning a place of healing into a chamber of horror. Eyewitness accounts describe frantic scenes of nurses and doctors battling suffocating fumes to drag ventilators and beds to safety, but the damage was irreversible.

Speaking to reporters in Bundi on Wednesday, Dotasra didn't mince words, painting a picture of systemic neglect under what he derisively called the "parchiwali sarkar"—a Congress jab at the BJP regime's alleged reliance on centrally dictated "paper slip" orders that sideline local accountability. "People rush to hospitals seeking solace, only to meet their end. What greater curse is this?" he thundered, slamming the government's failure to act on prior warnings about sparking wires in the ICU. "Staff had flagged electrical hazards days earlier, but complacency prevailed, culminating in this bloodbath."

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Dotasra's outrage extended to the post-tragedy response, accusing hospital superintendent Dr. Rajendra Palsania of downplaying the fire's role by attributing deaths solely to smoke inhalation—"as if smoke materializes without flames!" He further alleged that Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, during a hurried hospital visit, issued directives to "erase all evidence," a claim that has ignited fresh demands for transparency. Neither the CM nor the health minister has issued a public statement on the fire's cause, fueling suspicions of a cover-up, Dotasra charged.

The Congress leader's salvo comes as grieving families stage protests outside SMS Hospital, blocking roads and clashing with police in their quest for justice. Relatives like Sanjay Singh, who lost a loved one, have decried the lack of government representatives at the site, vowing to continue their dharna until accountability is served. Senior party figures, including former CM Ashok Gehlot and Opposition Leader Tika Ram Jully, have piled on, with Gehlot demanding a judicial probe and Jully labeling the incident "gross negligence" that warrants immediate ministerial ouster and hefty compensation—₹20 lakh per family, at minimum.

In response, the state has formed a six-member probe panel led by Medical Education Commissioner Iqbal Khan, including engineers and fire officials, to dissect the blaze's origins and lapses within weeks. Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa and Health Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham (note: conflicting reports on the minister's name, but Dotasra targets Shekhawat) dismissed Congress barbs as "insensitive politicking," insisting swift relief measures are underway and the injured are receiving top care. CM Sharma, via social media, expressed sorrow and pledged ongoing monitoring, but critics argue it's too little, too late.

This isn't Rajasthan's first brush with healthcare horrors; recent cough syrup scandals and crumbling infrastructure have eroded trust in the BJP's promises of "double-engine" progress. As the Anta Assembly bypoll looms on November 11—sparked by the disqualification of BJP MLA Kanwar Lal Meena over a 20-year-old pistol-waving conviction—Dotasra seized the moment to rally the faithful. "The public writhes in agony while the government revels. Congress will sweep Anta, candidate to be announced by high command," he declared, framing the bypoll as a referendum on governance failures.

The SMS fire has thrust Rajasthan's overburdened public health system into the spotlight, exposing chronic underfunding, outdated wiring, and lax safety protocols in facilities serving millions. With over 50,000 annual admissions at SMS alone, experts warn such oversights could recur without urgent reforms. As investigations deepen and tempers flare, one thing is clear: the flames that devoured eight lives have kindled a political inferno that could scorch the BJP ahead of crucial polls. Will Shekhawat step down, or will the "parchi" system shield him? Rajasthan watches, wounded and waiting.

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