Umang Singhar calls Chhindwara Collector ‘Pappu’s dog’ on stage:Political storm erupts after remark amid outrage over children’s deaths from poisonous cough syrup

Politics intensified in Chhindwara on Wednesday following the deaths of several children due to allegedly poisonous cough syrup. Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar visited Parasia to meet the bereaved families and launched a fierce attack on the administration, particularly targeting Chhindwara Collector Shailendra Singh. From the stage, Singhar called the Collector “Pappu’s dog”, drawing laughter from the crowd. Sharp attack on government and officials Addressing the gathering, Singhar accused the government of failing to take responsibility for the children’s deaths. “In Madhya Pradesh, a mother’s lap is being bought for ₹4 lakh,” he said, questioning who should be held accountable when children die due to government negligence. He criticised the state administration for taking action only against minor officials and a doctor, while ignoring the role of the pharmaceutical company responsible for manufacturing the syrup. “The Chief Minister and Health Minister do not want to take responsibility,” he said. “Government wakes up only to Opposition’s voice” Continuing his attack, Singhar asked why the government responds only when the Opposition raises its voice. “Why did the government not investigate the incident within 72 hours? Why wait six days while children kept dying?” he asked. He demanded that the government compensate all families for the expenses incurred during treatment and ensure that the affected families are financially supported. “The government should act within 24 hours,” he said, citing the case of a family burdened with ₹14 lakh in debt after losing their child. Criticism of Deputy CM holding Health portfolio During his address, Singhar also demanded that the Deputy Chief Minister should not continue as Health Minister. He shared stories of affected families — a schoolteacher, a painter, and a father with a disabled elder son, all devastated by the tragedy. “If such pain cannot be understood, the Deputy CM has no right to remain Health Minister,” he said. He also reacted to Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming visit to Sehore, stating that the date will be decided by the Congress high command. The “Pappu’s dog” reference explained The remark about “Pappu’s dog” traces back to an earlier protest in August. On August 20, the Congress had staged a demonstration in Chhindwara over fertilizer shortages and farmers’ grievances. When the Collector did not come to receive their memorandum, Congress leaders tied it around the neck of a dog named “Pepsi”, belonging to Chhindwara City Congress President Pappu Yadav. Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar lifted Pepsi, the mixed-breed, trained dog, and symbolically handed over the memorandum. Despite the crowd and slogans, Pepsi remained calm, impressing leaders with her composure. Pappu Yadav later clarified that his son had brought Pepsi from home when party leaders decided to hand over the memorandum to her. Previous criticism of Collector and fresh controversy This is not the first time Singhar has targeted the Collector. In August, while addressing a rally in Dhar, he had accused the Chhindwara Collector of being a “slave of the BJP” and said that if he was so partisan, he should “wear RSS shorts”. Singhar reiterated on Wednesday that some IAS officers act as political agents instead of public servants. “When our government returns, we will remind them that ‘Ram Naam Satya Hai’ also applies to such officers,” he warned. The Collector has so far not reacted to Singhar’s controversial remarks, but the incident has triggered a political storm, adding to the ongoing tension in Chhindwara’s administrative and political circles.