Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 | Last Update : 12:00 PM IST
Hunger deaths echo in Parliament
During his reply, Mr Singh also said that country was trying to eradicate poverty which was an ongoing process.
New Delhi: The death of three sisters reportedly due to starvation on Thursday found a mention in Parliament with Opposition members expressing concern over the incident.
During the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra sought to know whether the government had taken note of the serious incident.
Union minister of state for planning Rao Inderjit Singh said the incident was a very “unfortunate”, but it needed to be seen under what circumstances the deaths took place and whether starvation was the reason.
Mr Mishra expressed dissatisfaction with the minister’s reply, saying the media had reported starvation as the reason.
Mr Singh said not everything that appeared in newspapers was “gospel” and added the reports needed to be verified.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said that it was a very serious matter and the members would seek a discussion on the issue.
During his reply, Mr Singh also said that country was trying to eradicate poverty which was an ongoing process.
He also said that more and more people were coming out of poverty each year. But poverty is relative, he added.
The issue was raised in the Lok Sabha by BJP members who attacked the Aam Aadmi Party government for them.
Raising the matter, Ramesh Bidhuri, Parvesh Verma, and Maheish Girri claimed there was a “ration scam” in Delhi, resulting in subsidised grains not reaching the poor.
The area where the tragedy occurred falls in the constituency of Delhi’s deputy chief minister, Bidhuri said attacking the AAP government.
The AAP government only indulges in blame game, he said. Deepender Hooda of the Congress said both the city government and the Union government were to blame for the deaths.
Union Minister Harsh Vardhan termed the deaths of three minor girls “reprehensible” and blamed the AAP government for allegedly not addressing basic issues of people.
“The incidence of #StarvationDeaths of three sisters in Mandavali is reprehensible. It is the result of failure of #AAP government to address basic issues of people of Delhi. Where have all the welfare funds gone, if it is not reaching the beneficiaries? @BJP4Delhi, @BJP4India," the Minister tweeted.
