Politics over starvation deaths intensifies

POLITICAL PARTIES have intensified their exercise to corner Samajwadi Party-led State government over starvation deaths in Kushinagar district and Chauri Chaura town of the district. Union Minister for Smallscale Industries Mahavir Prasad visited Jamunahia Tola of Dumri Khas village in Chauri Chaura and demanded judicial inquiry into the starvation death.

POLITICAL PARTIES have intensified their exercise to corner Samajwadi Party-led State government over starvation deaths in Kushinagar district and Chauri Chaura town of the district. Union Minister for Smallscale Industries Mahavir Prasad visited Jamunahia Tola of Dumri Khas village in Chauri Chaura and demanded judicial inquiry into the starvation death. He also extended help of Rs 5000 to the mother of Bikao Chauhan (26), who died on September 21.

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Though district magistrate Dr Hariom has categorically denied death due to starvation and the post-mortem report too did not state malnutrition or starvation as the cause of death, political leaders are trying to get political mileage out of the matter. Bikao Chauhan’s mother Kevali Devi claimed that she had applied for BPL card but due to apathetic attitude of the officials they had not got the card.

BJP MP Yogi Adityanath also condemned the State governments’ insensitive attitude towards the plight of farmers and poor people. On Monday, co-ordinator of Hindu Yuva Vahini Narendra Dhwaj Singh said officials were busy in highlighting the achievements of the government and were not paying attention to the grievances of common people.

Former district unit president of BJP Upendra Dutt Shukla strongly condemned the State government and said there was no rule of law and corruption prevailed in every department, while bureaucrats were busy in organising programmes for distributing unemployment cheques. He alleged that the district administration was trying to misguide people over the starvation death in Tola Jamunahia of Chauri Chaura.