Reports on starvation deaths in Bengal are fabricated: Mamata.... No person going hungry in Bengal, says Mamata

MP | Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday that her government ensures supply of foodgrains to every single individual and there is not a single person in the state who does not get food.

The response from the Chief Minister came in the wake of reports in a section of media that had alleged that seven deaths had occurred in Jangalmahal due to starvation. She reiterated that the reports were 'fabricated' and said that "age-related ailments" or "excessive liquor consumption" had led to the deaths.

Last week, media reports had suggested that seven people of the Sabar community in Jangalmahal area of Jhargram district, had died due to starvation.

"No one has died in Bengal due to starvation. We provide free rice and wheat to each and every poor person in this state - from the Hills in the North to Jangalmahal in the South," Banerjee said in her address at the state Assembly.

She was speaking in response to a query from Trinamool Congress MLA Dipak Halder, regarding the food grain package in the tea gardens and Jangalmahal.

According to Banerjee, in the period from August to November, there have been seven deaths. Two persons had died of old age - one was 77 and the other was 75. The other 5 deaths were due to chronic liver disease, resulting from excessive alcohol intake.

She maintained that the Toto, Lodhas and Sabar communities in Jangalmahal get all facilities when it comes to food grains. " We are now starting counselling for the tribals," she added. The Chief Minister also mentioned that every family in tea gardens get 35 kg food grains at only 47 paise per kg. Each person in Jangalmahal get 8 kg rice and 3 kg wheat and each one of them has a ration card.

The legislators of CPI(M) and Congress insisted on having a detailed discussion on the alleged Sabar community deaths, despite the Chief Minister saying that she was ready to answer the queries of the Opposition in this regard. They also staged a walkout in protest.

State Food minister Jyotipriya Mallick said that he, along with senior officials of the department, will soon visit the districts of Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore and Jhargram, to monitor the distribution of foodgrains under the Khadya Sathi scheme. 

Kolkata: Days after news of alleged starvation deaths in West Bengal appeared in a section of the media, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday refuted the reports as "fabricated", saying the deaths either resulted from "age-related ailments" or "excessive liquor consumption".

Last week, media reports had suggested that seven people of Sabar community, in Jungle Mahal area of Jhargram district, died due to starvation.

In her address to the Assembly, Banerjee said the state government provides foodgrain to "every poor person" in the state.

"The reports that people from Sabar community have died due to starvation is absolutely false and fabricated. No one has died in Bengal due to starvation. We provide free rice and wheat to each and every poor person in this state - from the hills in the north to Jungle Mahal in the south," she stated.

Sabar community is an ethnic tribe, mainly found in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.

"People have died in Jungle Mahal due to excessive consumption of liquor or age-related ailments. While two people have died of illness and old age, others have died due to liver problems caused by excessive consumption of liquor," she asserted.

Listing the development projects taken up for the welfare of tribal communities, the CM said the state has always been sensitive to the needs of the poor.

Meanwhile, the legislators of opposition CPI(M) and the Congress staged a walkout from the assembly as their demand for a detailed discussion on alleged Sabar community deaths was rejected, following the chief minister's unilateral statement on the issue.

"The state government is afraid to hold a discussion, adhering to assembly rules, as it will unveil many secrets, giving us an opportunity to question the government. That is why the CM unilaterally gave a statement," Leader of opposition Abdul Mannan said.