Jaipur: The Jaipur collector has ordered an inquiry in an incident where minor children were asked to donate blood in a camp. Out of four children who took seiously ill, three are better another child's condition is stable.
Anil Sharma, 15, is unconscious in hospital. He collapsed at his school in Jaipur's Chomu village on Thursday.
Anil was among 50 students of Class 11 and 12 who were allowed to donate blood during an interval at a hospital nearby. It's illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to do this. But the blood camp was organized by the local Congress MLA to commemorate the birthday of former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi.
The politician wanted a large turn-out at his blood donation camp, so he allegedly broke the law.
Anil's father says, "My son told them that he is only 15, but they entered his age as 19. He even told them that he had suffered from jaundice recently, but they ignored it and took his blood."
Four other students are seriously ill. Among the others was Shubham, who says her classmates were bribed into participating: "I told them my age is only 16. But they said that even 14 year olds now donate blood. They said we will give you a certificate, food and also money for donating blood."
The politician says the problem was created by the hospital, not him: "We took all precautions but if some minors came, it's the doctors who should be blamed. Why did they permit minors ?"
Anil Sharma's family just wants the blame game to end with someone explaining why their teenager's life was risked, apparently in a case of extreme political sycophancy.