Chennai, Oct 10 (IANS) The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday accused the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government of gross negligence, claiming that its health department failed to act against a Kanchipuram-based pharmaceutical firm whose contaminated cough syrup allegedly caused the deaths of more than 20 children in Madhya Pradesh.

Palaniswami wondered how the state government remained unaware of the pharma company’s operations in the state despite the tragic fatalities, highlighting its negligence toward public safety.

“The Tamil Nadu government is not aware of this controversial cough syrup company which is operating in Kanchipuram district. After having this company’s cough syrup, 20 children died in Madhya Pradesh. Despite these children’s death, the Tamil Nadu government’s health department is not aware of this company’s existence in our state,” he said at a public event in Namakkal, about 360 km from here, late on Wednesday evening.

Kanchipuram-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals allegedly manufactured the contaminated Coldrif cough syrup which caused the deaths of more than 20 children in MP. Several states have already banned the company’s syrup following the deaths.

Slamming the MK Stalin-led government, Palaniswami alleged that “one could now understand how the DMK government cared for the state and its people” and added that the incident had occurred due to the negligence of the state’s health department.

“The children died after taking the deadly cough syrup. But the Tamil Nadu government and the health department do not know of the company that makes such medicines. How much concern does the government have for the people? How does it care for the people of this country? How does it protect the state?” he asked.

The former TN Chief Minister also pointed out the accusations made by a Madhya Pradesh minister, who alleged that the fatalities were a consequence of negligence on the part of the Tamil Nadu health department. Palaniswami noted that the TN government only acknowledged the incident after Madhya Pradesh Police arrested the company’s owner.

The police on Wednesday arrested Govindan Ranganathan (75), the owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals.

“The DMK government will last only for the next seven more months. After that we will return to power to ensure a responsible government in the state,” the AIADMK leader claimed.

The pharmaceutical company is currently under intense scrutiny following the widespread contamination of its cough syrup formulation.

The incident has intensified the political discourse, with the Opposition demanding greater accountability and stricter regulatory oversight of drug manufacturing units within the state’s jurisdiction.

–IANS/snj/rad