Balaghat tribal children's deaths: activist's mock resignation letter targets MP government

Activist Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), posted a satirical "resignation letter" on X on Sunday, claiming to step down as "Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh" in protest over the deaths of more than 30 tribal children in Balaghat district.

The letter, addressed to Governor Mangubhai Patel and dated August 13, states that he was resigning because "my conscience does not allow me to continue occupying this chair after the deaths of more than 30 tribal children in Balaghat". In it, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him "the opportunity to serve the people of MP", an opportunity he said he had "clearly failed" to make the most of.

The post is a work of political satire. Mr. Dipke holds no public office, and the letter does not reflect any change in the State government.

The letter takes aim at the government's handling of the Balaghat deaths, particularly the compensation announced for the families of the victims. Mr. Dipke questioned whether a payment of "₹24 lakh" would be considered adequate had the children belonged to ministers or MLAs.

Responding to queries on the assistance, Balaghat Additional Collector D.P. Burman said the families of 24 deceased children have each been given ₹4 lakh, and that the process of providing aid to the remaining families is under way.

Mr. Dipke said the deaths of innocent children "demand accountability at the highest level". His post also criticised the government's claims on tap-water supply, education and tribal welfare. He alleged that some tribal families in Balaghat still depend on river water and that schools in several villages are in a condition worse than animal shelters. He cited government data on tribal households without electricity, crimes against Scheduled Tribes and malnutrition among children to argue that successive governments in the State have fallen short on these fronts.

Concluding the mock resignation letter, he said he had "failed the tribals of not just Balaghat but the entire State" and that, after the loss of so many children, he did not believe he had "the moral right to continue in this office".

The post came a day after Mr. Dipke visited disease-affected villages in Balaghat, where his interaction with families was disrupted by a confrontation with a group of social media influencers.

Earlier this week, the Jabalpur Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court sought a response from the State government over the deaths of more than 30 children allegedly caused by infectious diseases in Balaghat district. A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal issued notices to the State Health Department, the Women and Child Development Department, the Balaghat Collector and others while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL).

The PIL alleged inadequate treatment for children and claimed that around 400 children were being treated at a hospital with a capacity of 50 beds. It also alleged that yellow-coloured water was being drawn from handpumps in the affected areas, and that children and women had not received nutritious food on time for several months. These are allegations made in the petition; the State government is yet to place its response before the court.

There was no immediate public comment from the State government on Mr. Dipke's post. The Balaghat deaths have drawn attention to the state of health care, nutrition and drinking water supply in the district's tribal-dominated villages, issues that the High Court proceedings are expected to examine in detail.