Gujarat death toll mounts

There has been no let-up in the violence

Fresh violence in the Indian state of Gujarat has claimed a further seven lives as the government prepares for a parliament showdown over the issue.

The refugee camps lack adequate food and medicines

More than 800 people, mostly Muslims, have died in religious clashes in the state forcing thousands to seek temporary shelter in relief camps.

State officials say they are now concerned over the spread of disease in the camps, in the face of soaring temperatures.

The Indian parliament is to debate and vote on the situation in Gujarat next Tuesday, placing the government in direct confrontation with the opposition.

Violence

Police in the Gujarat commercial capital, Ahmedabad, said seven people died overnight after being injured in violent clashes on Tuesday.

One of the victims died after being stabbed in the Shahpur area while three others were killed in police firing in the Mirzapur and Gomptipur areas of the city.

The authorities say 21 others were injured.

On Tuesday night, an armed mob surrounded the office of the Ahmedabad police chief, demanding that a Muslim relief camp be closed down.

Reports say they destroyed shops and Muslim shrines in the neighbourhood blowing up cooking gas cylinders to set off fires.

Health risks

Thousands of victims are housed in several camps in the city, after their homes were destroyed.

The army has been deployed to quell the violence

Conditions in the camp are desperate with shortages of sanitary facilites, water and medicines.

Human rights groups have deplored the conditions saying they provide inadequate food and medical care and that many of the traumatized victims are suffering from psychological abuse.

The authorities say that cases of measles and jaundice have been reported from some of the camps.

We have now asked the state to hold vaccination camps everyday," Indian Health Minister CP Thakur told The Times of India newspaper.

Debate

The Gujarat crisis has placed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led federal coalition government under tremendous pressure.

Opposition parties as well as some of the BJP's coalition partners have demanded that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi be replaced.

On Tuesday, the opposition won a demand to hold a debate in parliament on Gujarat, followed by a vote.

Some of the BJP's alliance partners have hinted they may vote against the government.

Although the government will not fall if it loses the vote, a negative outcome will come as a severe embarrassment.