Hunger deaths: Chhattisgarh govt orders probe, opposition up in arms

According to local reports, Shiv’s father Sangat Ram worked as a daily labourer and did not even possess a ration card. He often begged his neighbours for food.

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After work related to MGNREGA was almost suspended in Surguja, he and his two sons left for a nearby town to look for work. On the way, while passing through a forest, the boys got separated from their father. By the time they were spotted by locals and rescued after three days, Shiv had died.

“We were hungry. We lost consciousness,” said his elder brother Rajaram.

After news about Shiv’s death surfaced, the administration reportedly shifted several malnourished children in the area to a child care home.

Demanding the immediate suspension of officers who cancelled the ration card of Sangat Ram’s family, Amit Jogi and other Congress leaders went on an indefinite fast from Tuesday. On Friday evening, the fourth day of their fast, Amit and fellow party MLA Amarjit Bhagat fell unconscious and had to be rushed to the hospital.

The cm then called up the Congress leader’s father, former chief minister Ajit Jogi, and requested him to urge his son to end the fast. After the administration assured him, in writing, that Shiv’s family will be rehabilitated and MGNREGA works in Surguja will be resumed, Amit ended his fast on Friday evening.

Incidentally, Jangal Singh, who reportedly died of hunger on Wednesday, had come in search of work to Pendra, which falls under the Kota constituency of Dr Renu Jogi, state MLA and wife of Ajit Jogi.

“His postmortem report says that he did not have a single grain in his stomach. Hunger deaths have now become rampant in the tribal zone of Chhattisgarh. They have left me ashamed and dishonoured the state,” said Renu Jogi. The state unit of the Congress has also formed a committee, headed by Renu, to ‘probe’ these deaths.