Madhya Pradesh Food minister OP Dhurve has made an insensitive statement on the death of a two-year-old girl in the state’s Bhind city due to starvation.

The minister has outright denied the cause of death to be starvation saying no one dies of starvation in current times. He was talking to media

“There is no shortage of ration and if someone begs for it, people generally give away in charity. People of India are kind towards needy. I can not believe anyone can die of hunger these days,” said Dhurve to the media.

On Tuesday, a two-year-old girl died of starvation. Her father claimed not receiving wages and was unable to buy food. The father, Kalyan, is a daily wage labourer.

“I have been removed from my work and not given my due wages. Therefore I could not buy food,” said Kalyan.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Santosh Tiwari has ordered a probe into the matter and assured to take all the necessary actions.

We were informed that a family has not had food for two days. The girl who was already suffering from fever passed away in the afternoon and the body has been sent for postmortem,” said Santosh Tiwari.

The girl’s family was provided with an amount of Rs. 10,000.