Madhya Pradesh: Debt-Ridden Farmer Takes Poison; Agriculture Minister Says Suicide is a 'Global Issue'
MoS agriculture Balkrishna Patidar sparked controversy by saying that suicide is a global problem. Farmers’ organisations have condemned the minister for his “insensitive” remark.
Bhopal, April 28: Another incident of farmer suicide has been reported from drought-hit Damoh area in Madhya Pradesh on Friday. According to a report by TOI, the farmer identified as Laxman Kachi took poison on Friday and ended his life. The 45-year old farmer, who belonged to Sookha village in Damoh had taken a loan of Rs 50,000 on exorbitant interest from a private money lender. Harassed for the repayment of the loan, the debt-ridden farmer attempted this drastic step as he was helpless after his kharif crops failed last season and he was not able to sow rabi crops because of the drought.
Meanwhile, talking on the suicide, MoS agriculture Balkrishna Patidar sparked controversy by saying that suicide is a global problem. Farmers’ organisations have condemned the minister for his “insensitive” remark. When the minister was asked by reporters in Indore as to why MP records so many farmer suicides, he said, “Businessmen, IAS-IPS officers, police, people from all sections of society commit suicide. It happens all over the world.”
The farmer’s son Narayan was quoted by TOI saying that his father was under tremendous stress. “We had already given the money lender Rs 90,000 when the principal amount of loan was Rs 50,000. The money lender would take money every six months, and was harassing us for repayment”, he added.
It must be noted that Madhya Pradesh is third in terms of farm suicides in India. This year on March 20, Union agriculture minister Purshottam Rupla informed Lok Sabha that Madhya Pradesh was third in terms of farm suicide in the country.
The Minister had said that there has been a 21% jump in farm suicides since 2013. Madhya Pradesh, the state that was recently given its fifth Krishi Karman Award, reported a horrifying 6,071 farmer suicides between 2011 and 2016.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2018 09:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).