The Hindu : Other States / Rajasthan News : Khurana takes up starvation deaths with Vasundhara

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Friday, Sep 10, 2004

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Khurana takes up starvation deaths with Vasundhara

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, SEPT. 9. The Rajasthan Governor, Madan Lal Khurana, today expressed concern over reports of starvation deaths in the South Rajasthan district of Baran. "I have discussed the matter with the Chief Minister. If necessary, I will personally go to the affected areas and oversee the relief operations,'' a visibly moved Mr.Khurana said.

This, a rather startling observation from Mr.Khurana, came towards the end of an interaction he had with mediapersons at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of his regular poor assistance programme, "Garib sunwai''. The Bharatiya Janata Party Government here had been denying any incidence of starvation deaths in the State.

The Vasundhara Raje Government had maintained that 15 deaths -- which included those of 10 children below the age of four -- reported over a period from July to September 3 in the tribal dominated Baran district were due to various diseases and lack of timely medical attention.

"I am not getting into any controversy by saying this. The media should not sensationalize the issue. If the deaths were not due to starvation they could be due to poverty,'' Mr.Khurana said when the media persons tried to get a more "categorical'' statement from the Governor.

"I cannot stand it. I have been told about the Saharia Adivasi people eating `laddu' made of grass. In the history books we read about Maharana Pratap eating rotis made of grass while in the wilderness but this is the year, 2004,'' Mr.Khurana observed.

The Governor said he had a meeting with Ms.Raje the other day and told her about his concern. "I told her about the newspaper reports of people dying of hunger. I have sought a list of districts worst affected in the State by drought as well as the floods and once it is made available to me I will go there,'' Mr.Khurana said.

On one occasion Mr.Khurana, apparently hassled by the media's exploring queries on the issue of starvation quipped, "go and ask the Chief Minister''. "Even if the deaths took place due to illness the affected families deserve assistance,'' he argued sometime later.

Mr.Khurana said he wanted to make use of Rs.1.15 crores presently available in the Governor's Relief Fund for providing relief to the people of the districts which were either affected by drought or floods.

"People who came from the areas told me about their problems. Those who reported from Baran talked about poverty which made Adivasis eat grass,'' Mr.Khurana noted. "I want to supervise it myself. We cannot leave such things to the bureaucracy alone,'' he said.

Mr.Khurana said he would talk to the district magistrates after getting the reply on the most affected places. There would be specific schemes prepared for the areas thereafter, he informed.

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Khurana takes up starvation deaths with Vasundhara