RJD MLAs raise slogans against Bihar health minister, protest against growing encephalitis deaths in state

Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLAs launched a protest against the mounting encephalitis deaths in the state outside Bihar Assembly building on Tuesday. While protesting, scores of MLAs, especially women, were seen standing under the hot sun and were raising slogans against state health minister Mangal Pandey. Some of them were also holding placards with the slogan “Bachho ka amangal mantri. Mangal Pandey istifa do.” [caption id=“attachment_6919001” align=“alignleft” width=“385”] RJD MLAs protest against the death of children due to the encephalitis outbreak in Bihar. ANI[/caption] Besides, RJD, Upendra Kushwaha of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) also announced on Sunday that he will take out a protest march from Muzaffarpur to Patna against Nitish Kumar government for failing to contain the deadly virus. This is the second day the RJD leaders protested outside the Assembly. On Monday, the RJD MLAs protested on the first day of the Bihar Assembly’s monsoon session. Death toll in the encephalitis outbreak in Bihar has risen to 134. As per the official data, Muzaffarpur’s Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, which is handling the largest number of patients in the district, reported 113 deaths while there were 21 fatalities at Kejriwal Hospital. Encephalitis is a viral disease that causes flu-like symptoms such as high fever, vomiting and in extreme cases, brain dysfunction, seizure, and inflammation of heart and kidney. The chief minister had announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the children who died due to the disease. The state government has also directed the health department, district administration and doctors to take necessary measures to contain the disease.