"It's a shameful incident": BJP leader Annamalai slams Tamil Nadu Govt over Sresan Pharma safety lapses

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 9 : BJP leader K. Annamalai on Thursday strongly condemned the operation of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the Kanchipuram-based company which manufactured the Coldrif cough syrup and is linked to the death of several children in Madhya Pradesh.
He said that the Pharmaceutical company was found violating multiple safety norms, and called on the Tamil Nadu government to take responsibility and conduct a thorough review of similar pharmaceutical companies to prevent any further such incidents.
This statement by BJP leader K. Annamalai comes after the police arrested the owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, which manufactured the Coldrif cough syrup.
BJP leader K. Annamalai, while talking to ANI, said, "It's a shameful incident for a state like Tamil Nadu, in which we have a lot of great pharmaceutical companies. A company like this, based in Kanchipuram, is now coming to light, with more than 364 violations found at various points in time. Still, this company was allowed to function; it was still allowed to export medicines to different parts of our country."
He stated, "I personally believe the Tamil Nadu government should take responsibility because this company was operating right under noses. The CM should make a statement to review the whole process and make sure all companies of this nature undergo a quality audit within the next 15 days. This will help ensure that any medicine produced in Tamil Nadu does not harm anyone..."
Earlier today, the Madhya Pradesh police arrested S Ranganathan, the owner of the Tamil Nadu-based pharmaceuticals company that manufactured the Coldrif cough syrup linked to 20 children's deaths.
According to Chhindwara SP, Ranganathan will be presented before the Chennai court today and will be brought to Chhindwara after securing transit remand.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla on Wednesday informed that 20 children have died in Madhya Pradesh after consuming the Coldrif cough syrup; meanwhile, five are undergoing treatment.
Of these 20 children, 17 are from Chhindwara district, two from Betul district, and one is from Pandhurna district.
"20 children have lost their lives in the unfortunate incident from Chhindwara, Betul and Pandhurna districts. The state government is quite strict. The police teams from Chhindwara have reached Chennai and Kanchipuram to arrest the owner of Coldrif manufacturing company and strict action is being taken into the matter," Shukla told reporters.
Notably, a group of doctors and representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) held a protest in Chhindwara district on Tuesday, demanding the release of a government doctor, Praveen Soni, who was recently sent to jail in relation to the death of children due to alleged consumption of cough syrup in the district.
Dr Soni is a government paediatrician at Civil Hospital, Parasia in Chhindwara, who was recently suspended and later faced legal action, resulting in being sent to 14-day judicial custody on Monday.