E-Paper
Kin of farmers who committed suicide demand loan waiver
Widows of the victim farmers share their stories and urge chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to take action
Over 200 family members, including widows of Punjab farmers, who committed suicide due to debt, on Saturday gathered at Naina Devi temple in Sangrur, and demanded waiver of loan and pension.
The assembly was organised by the Farmer and Labourer Suicide Victim Families’ Committee, Punjab. The widows shared their stories and urged the chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to intervene.
Kuldeep Kaur,32, widow of Amrik Singh who allegedly committed suicide in 2015, said that she is under debt of ₹2.5 lakh taken by a government bank, but the deputy commissioner’s office has rejected her application saying she does not belong to the farming community.
“My husband had ended his life after he could not repay the ₹1.5 lakh loan that he had taken from a bank. However, we are still receiving phone calls from the bank. I don’t have any property. I could barely take care of my two minor children,” said Kuldeep, who hails from Kanakwal Bhanguan village.
Paramjit Kaur, 65, of Dhadrian village, who lost his 18-year-old son in 2006, is still waiting for debt waiver and compensation.
“My son Roop Kumar committed suicide as we owed ₹ 5 lakh to banks. We have sold 5 acres land and are left with only 3 acres land. My husband is suffering from depression and I have to look after my four young daughters. My debt has grown to ₹18 lakh, however, the government has neither waived off my debt nor started any pension,” said Paramjit.
President of Pind Bachao, Punjab Bachao, Karnail Singh Jakhepal, who organised the gathering, said, “The government should waive off the debt of farmers and labourers and ensure pension to widows. The circumstances have forced the children of these farmers to dropout from schools and colleges. The government should make arrangements for their education too.”
“All those who work in agriculture sector should be considered farmers and farm labourers. The government has failed to provide relief to the families of farmers who have committed suicide due to mounting debt. We will soon launch an agitation,” he added.
