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Farm bodies put the figure at 536, 65% higher than NCRB
The NCRB report adds that of those farmers who committed suicide, 202 were cultivating their own land and three of them were women. Twenty-seven were farming on leased land. The government report adds that 94 (91 male and three women) agricultural labourers ended their lives.
A farmers’ organisation, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan, however, has claimed that the NCRB figures are wrong and has put the number at a whopping 66% more, at 536. It claims that its report that was released last week was based on newspaper articles, news channel reportage and FIRs. According to this organisation’s report, 370 farmers ended their lives in 2017 and 501 farmers committed suicide in 2019.
“Governments are used to concealing data on farm suicides. Even in the NCRB data, the number is lower, yet we welcome the fact that the government has at least admitted to the problem. The government needs to plan better and provide adequate compensation to families of victims,” said Jagmohan Singh, state general secretary, BKU (Ekta-Dakaunda).
The NCRB report adds that of those farmers who committed suicide, 202 were cultivating their own land and three of them were women. Twenty-seven were farming on leased land. The government report adds that 94 (91 male and three women) agricultural labourers ended their lives.
“Our report mentions names and villages of farmers killed. The state and the Central governments have done nothing to address the agrarian crisis. Farmers have to face natural calamities too but governments never take responsibility,” said Joginder Singh, state president, BKU Ugrahan.
“From April 2017 to December 2019, which was the Congress regime, 1,407 farmers committed suicide in the state. Of these, 1,372 deaths were reported in newspapers and 35 in news channels,” said Sukhpal Singh Manak, who heads the team, which collects data on farmer suicides. They release their report every three months.
On the farmers’ report, Sangrur district tops the state with 250 deaths since April 2017; Bathinda and Mansa are second and third, with 196 and 123 deaths.
Responding to the figures, Sangrur Congress MLA and state education minister Vijay Inder Singla said, “Farmer suicides are decreasing in Punjab, when compared to the SAD-BJP regime. Even other Congress-ruled state governments have implemented the debt waiver policy of our government. The Centre has done nothing to handle the agrarian crisis,” Singla claimed.