BJP panel submits report on tribal family suicide

Raipur: A BJP fact-finding team on Saturday said that unemployment and starvation forced four members of a family belonging to the ‘Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group’ Pahadi Korwa to commit suicide in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district last week. Speaking to presspersons after their visit to Jhumridumar village, The BJP team, comprising leader of opposition Narayan Chandel, former Rajya Sabha MP Ramvichar Netam and Sanjay Shrivastav claimed that the village was shaken by the tragedy.The fact finding team has submitted its report to the party. The report claimed that there are 35 hill Korwa tribe and five Bhuihar families residing in the village. A single hand pumo quench the thirst of the villagers. A house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was allotted to Raju Ram in 2016-17, but the house was not constructed, the BJP leaders said, adding that Samarbar Gram Panchayat is untouched by basic facilities. The villagers and relatives of Raju Ram told us that they used to have to travel 15-20 kilometres to collect Mahua. Raju Ram used to collect Mahua to arrange both ends of his family. The villagers used to travel ten kilometres to collect ration and their children travel equal distance for schooling. Bagicha block has 114 villages out of which 108 villages have no roads which was informed by the officials and public representatives here, they said.The BJP leaders demanded an announcement of immediate relief amount for the family of the deceased and adequate compensation to the family.Meanwhile, Congress communication department head Sushil Anand Shukla said that the state government had investigated the matter. “The reason behind suicide was family disputes,” he said. He said BJP leader Ramvichar Netam has no right to talk on the issue as his daughter has bought land of Pahadi Korwa against the rules.