BHOPAL: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met tribal families in Balaghat district whose children have died over the last four months, reportedly amid illness, malnutrition and inadequate access to healthcare.
Speaking to journalists after meeting families in Jagla village of Birsa block in the Baihar Assembly constituency, Gandhi accused the Centre and Madhya Pradesh government of failing the tribal community.
"Whether it is healthcare, education or employment, everything has come to a standstill," he said. "It feels as though they (these tribal families) have been abandoned in the middle of Hindustan (India), and as if the central government and the Madhya Pradesh government do not exist here at all."
Gandhi raised issues including land titles under the Forest Rights Act, the implementation of MGNREGA (renamed as VB-G RAM G Act, 2025) and compensation for the deaths of children, which he said about half the affected families were yet to receive.
"At the very least, they should be given land titles under the Forest Rights Act," he said. On the rural jobs scheme, he said: "You changed the name of MGNREGA but did not implement it."
He also raised the issue of welfare payments. “One more thing, if they (the particularly vulnerable tribal groups) receive money under one scheme, then their money gets cut under the Ladli Behna Yojana. If you have launched a scheme and you are running two schemes, then they should get the benefit of both schemes.”
Gandhi also said: "You talk about development 24 hours a day, but corruption happens 24 hours a day. But when our Adivasi brothers need you, you disappear."
He said he felt "very sad" at the conditions he saw and called for hospitals and schools to be built and the community to be given its rights.
The deaths have been reported mainly from villages in the Birsa and Baihar blocks, where Baiga and Gond communities live. The Baiga are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
Media reports have said more than 30 children have died since June, while authorities have cited multiple clinical causes, including measles, malaria, co-infections, respiratory distress, dehydration, malnutrition and anaemia. Official figures have been lower than media tallies.
The opposition Congress has alleged that more than 43 deaths have occurred and accused the government of hiding the figures. A compensation of Rs 4 lakh each has been released to the bereaved families.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has also sought the state government's response to a public interest litigation alleging inadequate treatment and claiming that around 400 children were being treated at a hospital with a capacity of 50 beds.
The Congress has demanded the resignation of state Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla and sought a special committee to probe the deaths.
Gandhi had earlier raised the issue on social media. On September 17, he said more than 30 tribal children had died amid illness, malnutrition and lack of basic health facilities, and called the state government "India's most corrupt and most incompetent".
Thursday's visit was Gandhi's second visit to BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh in 12 days, after he addressed the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Indore on September 19.
