Tripura: Parents sell children for Rs 30,000 due to poverty, claims oppn CPI-M

The CPI-M has alleged that the government has failed to alleviate poverty owing to which parents were forced to sell their children

Two families from Tripura were forced to sell their children due to abject poverty. Sharing the news, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury on Friday accused the ruling Manik Saha government of failing to take care of the people of the state.

Chaudhury further alleged that acute poverty and food scarcity in villages were forcing people to sell their children in return of some amount of money.

The incidents are said to have taken place in Khowai and Dhalai districts in the last one month.

While one infant has been recovered, the whereabouts of the other remain unknown.
During his visit to Mungiakami rural development block in Teliamura of Khowai district, Chaudhury met Khaken Debbarma and his wife in the Teliamura hospital, who reportedly sold his newborn daughter for Rs 30,000.

Chaudhury informed that Debbarma, who was living in extreme poverty after losing his ancestral house in a fire two years ago, was forced to sell his child to meet the family’s financial requirements.

Chaudhury further informed that Debbarma lost his government documents including his ration card and M.G.N.R.E.G.A job card in the inferno.

He said, “Yesterday I happened to meet that couple and see that child also. I asked both the parents, why you have sold your child. They told me that Sir what shall we do, we have been realising that this child will die because her mother is not in a position to feed milk because we are almost passing everyday without food. That is why we thought that our daughter at least she will survive in the lap of another mother. This is the reason they told me. This is a very sorry state of affairs. Khaken Debbarma told me that out of the Rs 30,000, he had to pay Rs 20,000 to BJP hoodlums.”
The sold child was recovered only after local authorities and Child-Line intervened.

Khowai District Magistrate Chandni Chandran stated that the parents would decide whether to give up the infant for legal adoption or to the state adoption centre.
She said, “It was only yesterday that a child has been sold and it happened to be a remote habitation. Police and Childline authorities have recovered the child and brought to Teliamura. What the parents want now will be know later. There are lots of options for them, they can allow for adoption of the child.”
BJP leader and state agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath speaking to reporters, however, refuted the allegations levelled by Jitendra Chaudhury.
He said that it is totally wrong to say that parents were forced to sell their children owing to intense financial hardship since the government benefits have failed to reach them.
Nath highlighting the government’s push for development said that people in Teliamura have witnessed development and said that at least 283 families have availed houses under the government’s housing schemes. Apart from this at least 233 families have so far access to clean drinking water due to the present government’s efforts.
The minister countering the CPI-M’s attack said as to what was the necessity for the BJP to allot houses to the deprived sections of the society if the CPI-M had done so during their 25-year rule.

CPIM’s youth wing DYFI staged protest in Agartala against the recent incidents.

Watch also: Tripura shocker: Infant sold for Rs 30000, CPI-M leader Jitendra Choudhury slams government

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