Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi interacts with tribal families affected by malnutrition and disease outbreaks, in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh. Gandhi visited the region to meet families who lost children to recent health complications including malaria, measles, and malnutrition, assuring them of raising their grievances at the national level. (AICC via PTI Photo)Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday visited Jagla village in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district and met the families of tribal children who died following an outbreak of illness in the area earlier this year.“This is a complete government failure in Madhya Pradesh. A total, 100 per cent government failure. I will raise this issue in Parliament — not just their issue, but what is being done to tribals across the country,” Gandhi said.Gandhi accused the Madhya Pradesh government of failing to provide basic healthcare and other essential services to the tribal population.During his visit, Gandhi met the bereaved families and heard their concerns about healthcare, education, employment and tribal welfare. He accused the state government of failing to respond adequately to the situation.He alleged that children had died because of illness and malnutrition and that basic government support had broken down in the area. “Many children here have died because of illness and malnutrition. Whatever support the government is supposed to provide — whether in healthcare, education or employment — has completely broken down,” he said.“You talk about development 24 hours a day, and there is corruption 24 hours a day, but when our tribal brothers and sisters need you, you disappear,” Gandhi said.The BJP hit back at Gandhi over the visit. Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla accused him of using the deaths for political purposes and described the visit as “political tourism”.Story continues below this ad“In the greed to form the government, Rahul Gandhi is coming to Balaghat months after the incident and engaging in political tourism,” Shukla said.Shukla said the state government had responded to the situation after the incident, with CM Mohan Yadav, himself, and the district’s in-charge minister visiting the area. He said four Block Women Development Officers had been posted and that 14 sub-health centres and community health centres were being established in the region.The Madhya Pradesh health department has maintained that eight children had died and around 100 others had fallen ill in August in four remote, Baiga-dominated villages. Local activists and villagers, however, reported that the death count may be as high as 30.The children, aged between one and 13, had reported symptoms including high fever, rashes, red spots, stomach pain and ulcers. The exact cause of the illness and deaths was not known at the time, with blood samples sent to ICMR laboratories in Kolkata and Pune for testing.Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More Tags:Madhya Pradesh governmentRahul Gandhi