The Tripura Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has countered recent criticisms from the opposition alliance of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) and Congress regarding severe poverty under the BJP’s governance in the state.
During a press conference on Monday, BJP spokesperson Asmita Banik addressed the opposition’s allegations. She particularly responded to the CPIM’s reference to a tragic incident in Gandacherra, where a Janajati widow, Murmuri Tripura, sold her newborn daughter for Rs 5,000 due to dire financial straits.
Banik provided details of the situation, stating that the newborn, delivered on May 22, is Murmuri’s sixth child. Murmuri, a widow since six months ago, has been struggling to support her family, which includes five other children. Her eldest son, aged 19, works out of state to help sustain the family, while the remaining children are still in school.
Murmuri’s desperate decision to sell her newborn was highlighted by the opposition as evidence of the BJP’s failure to alleviate poverty.
However, Banik asserted that once the administration learned of the incident through media reports, government officials swiftly intervened, rescuing the baby, and reuniting her with her mother. The government has since provided the family with essential rations and assured Murmuri of comprehensive support through various welfare schemes.
Banik accused the opposition of exploiting the incident to discredit the ruling party, rather than acknowledging and addressing similar issues that persisted during their own tenures. She cited numerous instances of mismanagement and neglect under the previous regimes of CPIM and Congress.
Reena Ghosh, Vice President of the Tripura Pradesh BJP Mahila Morcha, also attended the press conference, reinforcing the BJP’s stance on the matter.
