CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke Visits Balaghat Following Deaths of Tribal Children
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), visited tribal villages in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district on Saturday, September 12, 2026. During his visit, he met with the families of children from the Baiga tribe who recently died due to monsoon-related illnesses and a lack of access to healthcare facilities.
The visit took place shortly after the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued notices to the state government regarding the deaths of more than 30 children, which were allegedly caused by infectious diseases. Mr. Dipke stated that the children could have been saved if they had received timely medical treatment, and he blamed government negligence for the fatalities.
Allegations of Underreported Deaths and Administrative Negligence
In a post on the social media platform X, Mr. Dipke expressed concern over the situation in Balaghat, stating that local residents believe the actual number of fatalities is higher than the officially reported figure of 36. He also noted that 86 children were recently hospitalised following a protest by the local tribal community.
Mr. Dipke further alleged that deceased children were being cremated without post-mortem examinations, and in some instances, without their parents being present. He pointed to the Sub Divisional Magistrate as the official responsible for these actions. Speaking to reporters prior to meeting the families, Mr. Dipke stated that his primary objective in visiting Balaghat was to fix responsibility and ensure justice for the affected families.
Additionally, Mr. Dipke accused the Madhya Pradesh police of detaining tribal students who were coordinating his visit, questioning why a BJP-ruled state appeared hesitant to let the truth emerge.
Official Response and Health Measures in Birsa Block
Over the past two and a half months, more than 30 children have died across several villages in Balaghat’s Birsa block. The deaths have been linked to various infectious diseases and health conditions, including measles, malaria, respiratory illness, malnutrition, anaemia, and dehydration.
Balaghat Collector Kumar Satyam informed the media that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has sanctioned financial assistance for the grieving families. However, the Collector clarified that the deaths cannot be attributed to any single disease. According to Mr. Satyam, more than 450 children have received treatment at government hospitals over the last few months, and health screenings have been conducted across 40 villages in the Birsa block.
Mr. Satyam explained that seasonal diseases have affected both adults and children in the region, but children have suffered the worst outcomes due to poor immunity. He added that the local administration has been working to build trust with the community, which has historically been isolated from modern medical infrastructure and reliant on faith healing. The Collector stated that the situation is improving, case frequencies are declining, and more parents are accepting modern medical treatment as they see other children recover.
Political Criticism and Judicial Intervention
The opposition Congress party has also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government, accusing it of delaying its response to the health crisis and failing to provide timely medical treatment to the affected children.
The political and administrative scrutiny follows legal action initiated earlier in the week. On September 9, 2026, the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued formal notices to state authorities during a hearing on a petition seeking urgent intervention in the Balaghat health crisis.
