Kafeel Khan, a Gorakhpur-based doctor, who was an accused in the case of the death of 63 children at Gorakhpur Medical College Hospital in 2017, allegedly owing to the shortage of oxygen, may contest from Gorakhpur against Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
According to sources, Kafeel is in touch with the Congress and has conveyed to the grand old party that he is willing to challenge Adityanath in the latter's bastion of Gorakhpur.
''I am in touch with some parties......I am ready to contest against Adityanath if I get a nomination from any of the parties,'' Kafeel was quoted as having told his brother. He, however, did not reveal the name of the party.
Kafeel, who was a pediatrician at the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, when several children had died due to shortage of Oxygen, had been dismissed from service after being found guilty of laxity in the case. Kafeel has challenged his termination in the court.
Khan had earlier been arrested in the case and had spent nine months in jail before being released on bail.
Khan had been given a clean chit in the matter by a committee, which was probing the case. The state government had, however, constituted another committee to investigate the matter.
He had also taken part in the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protests in the state. The police had later arrested him on charges of allegedly delivering inflammatory speech and NSA was also slapped on him. The Allahabad high court, however, had quashed the NSA.
The Gorakhpur based-doctor had also written a letter to the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) alleging large scale rights 'violations' and 'misuse' of stringent laws to "suppress voice of dissent" in India.
"The government has been misusing stringent laws like NSA and UAPA to suppress the voice of dissent...it will greatly affect the poor and marginalised communities in India," he had said in his letter.
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