Mamata refutes reports on starvation deaths

Refuting media reports which claimed that seven members of the Sabar community, a tribe, have died of starvation in the Jangalmahal area, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said in the state Assembly that the deaths took place because of age related illness or liquor consumption.

Jangalmahal area mainly comprises of Bankura, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts.

During the speech, she described the reports as “false” and said that no starvation death has taken place in Bengal and said that the state government provides free wheat and rice to every poor person in the state.

Mamata also gave a list of development projects initiated by the state government for the tribal people.

However, the CPM and Congress MLAs were not satisfied with the chief minister’s answer and staged a walk out, as their demand for discussion over the issue was rejected.

Criticising the state government, Leader of Opposition and senior Congress MLA Abdul Mannan said that the “ government did not hold a discussion over the issue (reported death of Sabar community members due to starvation) as it is afraid that it will reveal secrets and provide an opportunity to the Opposition to question the government.”