Tribal child deaths in Balaghat: Rahul Gandhi visits as toll figures clash
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi visits Balaghat district today to meet families of tribal children who have died amid outbreaks of measles and malaria; the death toll is disputed, with figures ranging from 20 to more than 30.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will visit tribal villages in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district today (1 October) to meet the families of children who have died amid an outbreak of measles and malaria.
The visit, confirmed by Madhya Pradesh Assembly Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar, will cover the Baihar and Birsa regions. Singhar told IANS the state government had been “negligent”, saying: “More than 22 tribal children have died, and Rahul Gandhi will meet the affected families to assess the ground reality.”
The death toll is disputed. Official government figures put it at 20 children, while a BBC investigation, “The children dying in India’s remote tribal heartland”, reported at least 32 children had died since May. Nation Press reports the toll above 30, noting the discrepancy between administration figures and other sources remains unresolved.
A central National Joint Outbreak Response Team investigated 196 cases, including 156 children under 10, and found multiple causes: 25 of 64 samples tested positive for measles and 27 of 32 for malaria. Many of the dead belonged to the Baiga and Gond tribal communities of the forested district bordering Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
The Jabalpur Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, hearing a public interest litigation, has directed the state government to submit documents and a formal response on the deaths. Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, who holds the health portfolio, has accused the Congress of seeking political mileage from the crisis.
Sources: IANS via hi INDiA, Nation Press, BBC (“The children dying in India’s remote tribal heartland”).
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