People's Democracy

      They Were Not Starvation Deaths: Biswas

THE unfortunate deaths in the Amlasole village of west Midnapore were due to disease and lack of medicare, and not caused by starvation, said Anil Biswas, CPI(M) state secretary, while briefing the media in Kolkata.  “There are areas in the state where poor people live, people whose poverty give rise to illness.  If they are not able to avail themselves of medical attention in time, the disease often becomes the cause of death.  It is unfortunate that a section of the media would try to stamp all these deaths as due to starvation which is not at all true”, said Biswas.

The Party, the Left Front, and the state LF government are aware of the situation and have set in motion steps to improve the situation, particularly of employment and medicare in the state.  The five who died over a period of time were victims of illness.  They did not suffer at any point of time from starvation.

Citing examples, Biswas said that Nathu Sabar died after a prolonged illness following mental depression when his hutment went up in flames.  Samay Sabar was afflicted with jaundice and because of his poverty-stricken condition, could not avail himself of medical attention in good time.  Sambhu Sabar died in similar circumstances from high fever. 

The media then went on identifying as ‘starvation death’ an incident at Santipur when the deceased’s son has denied this strongly.  The case of a suicide in Balarampur in Purulia was passed off forcibly as another instance of ‘starvation death.’ 

Both the Party and the state government area aware, said Biswas, that in some areas, people live in poverty and appropriate countermeasures had been initiated.  The aim is to improve the general standard of living.  The state government is engaged in the task.  The Party has cooperated fully with the state government’s initiative.