UP starvation death: AAP to take care of bereaved family

Agra, Aug 28 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has said that it will ensure treatment of Pappu Singh, father of the five-year-old girl, who allegedly died of hunger and sickness in Uttar Pradesh's Nagla Vidhichand village last week.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh, met the family of the five-year-old Dalit child, Sonia, whose death created a furore in UP.

He also promised to take care of the education of Pappu Singh's seven-year-old son Pawan.

"It is shameful on the government's part that a child died due to hunger. The family had lost their son after demonetisation. The district administration, instead of making efforts to ensure that such an incident does not recur, has been pressurising the family to say that the girl died due to sickness and not hunger," the AAP MP told reporters.

Singh further alleged that a large number of Dalit families in the same village have no ration card and are not benefitting from any government scheme. He also demanded that the district administration should issue ration cards to all poor families in a time-bound manner.

"They live in a dilapidated house. I would request the state government to repair the house and make arrangements for a toilet. We will ensure suitable treatment for Sonia's father in Delhi. All the expenses related to education of Sonia's brother will also be taken care of by the party," he said.

Singh further demanded that the government give a compensation of at least Rs 10 lakh to the family. The National Human Rights Commission has already issued a notice to the state government over Sonia's death.