Farmer’s suicide note blames govt apathy

One of the victims even wrote a suicide note, blaming the state government for his death, according to reports reaching here, reports Pradip Kumar Maitra.

When Opposition legislators in both Houses in Maharashtra were on Thursday discussing the farmer suicides in Vidarbha and other parts of the state, demanding a total waiver of loans to bail out the debt-trapped cotton growers, five more farmers in the state had ended their lives over the past 24 hours.

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One of the victims even wrote a suicide note, blaming the state government for his death, according to reports reaching here. The deceased was identified as Mahadeo Dagdu Thakre (25) of Borejawla in Buldhana district. Thakre, a marginal farmer, even accused the local Congress legislator Dilip Sananda and his family for the tragedy and sought police action against them. Among the recent victims, two were from Yavatmal and one each from Amravati, Washim and Buldhana.

Earlier, the state Assembly witnessed an uproar for the fourth day of the winter session when Leader of the Opposition Ramdas Kadam demanded an immediate debate under a provision involving voting but it was rejected by Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar.

Later, initiating the debate, Kadam said the farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha increased phenomenally after the prime minister announced a relief package of Rs 3,750 crore in July last year. He said that as many as 1,040 farmers ended their lives this year alone because of mounting debts. There was no alternative but to waive the debts totally, he said.