BJP-IPFT government under attack after poverty-stricken tribal man's photo goes viral

The man, identified as Manaranjan Debbarma (62), a BJP worker of Yeiakrai Bazzar locality of Kalayanpur in Khowai, had come to talk to the chief minister about the poverty in his family, but, allegedly, the people around Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb did not allow him access despite repeated appeals and requests.

Debbarma was caught in camera, standing at the edge of the barricade, heartbroken and crying after being denied a meeting with the Chief Minister.

According to reports, Debbarma, who is an active BJP worker in the ADC village, wanted to speak to Deb about severe scarcity of food in his family and no means of livelihood.

He, reportedly, met with local BJP leaders and the administration seeking work and government support for survival but did not receive any response.

Finally, when he heard Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb would visit Kalayanpur School, he became hopeful of conveying his situation and the sorry state of his village.

“The crisis is not only in my family, the entire village and neghibouring localities are facing acute crisis of food, work, other basic minimum facilities and proper shelter in adverse weather. We are not getting the so called social pensions of the government and nobody is there to look after us. After the assembly election, and the formation of the new government, we are forgotten and I came from a long distance to inform the chief minister about realities but his(chief minister's)  people did not allow me,” Debbarma told the local media.

Though Chief Minister or his government did not come out with formal statement on the issue, an OSD of Chief Minister’s Office tweeted, “Stop circulating this old news, we are already meeting him to listen to his problems. Be assured, there would not be anyone left unheard.”

Sources in the Secretariat claimed that the Chief Minister asked the district administration to look into the matter  and to undertake measures to solve the problems of Debbarma and others in  the village after realising that Debbarma's photograph had went viral.

Reportedly, Deb has also asked to find out the person who had prevented Manaranjan Debbarma from meeting him and spoke to the local BJP MLA on the matter.

The story of Manaranjan Debbarma has given fodder to the opposition parties to attack the government over the crisis of food and work.

Former Lok Sabha MP and president of CPI (M) tribal’s front GMP Jitendra Choudhury criticized the government for its failure to ensure food to all and eradicate poverty.

“We have been telling the stories of sufferings of hundreds of poor people, including tribals but the government has been denying it. The story of Manaranjan Debbarma has proved how this government is running and how administration is functioning. Biplab Deb government is doing nothing for the poor and is rather fooling people with concocted stories,” Choudhury told media.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Subal Bhowmik alleged that BJP-IPFT government in its its two years of governance failed to improve the livelihood of the people of the state and poverty has deepened due to maladministration and misuse of public fund by the close aides of Chief Minister.

“Crores of rupees are being spent for fairs and festivals, travel and amenities of Chief Minister’s family and his associates. The central funds are being looted by the corrupt lobby of the government and BJP party at the behest of the chief minister and thousands of poor people like Manaranjan Debbarma are being pushed into extreme poverty,” Bhowmik said, adding that mothers are selling children and people are dying in hospital without blood and medicine.