farmerP  Naveen, TNN | Oct 23, 2015
,
BHOPAL:
The Times of India

Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) state unit is mulling to lay a ‘2010-like’ siege of state capital to protest against recent spate of suicides by debt-ridden farmers across the state and government’s inefficiency to handle the situation.

Most recent case was reported from Damoh district on Friday morning where a young farmer Lalan Yadav committed suicide by setting himself ablaze. His crops were also damaged like many other farmers in the region, said police.

According to Sangh’s state president Shiv Kumar Sharma, a total of 2230 farmers have committed suicide in Madhya Pradesh from April 1 to October 22, 2015.

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Bhopal on December 20, 2010 as around 25,000 farmers protested outside chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s residence and blocked entry and exit to the state capital to denounce “government’s indifference” and demand better value for their crops.

“We have collected details of each and every farmer who has committed suicide from 51 districts. Had the chief minister only assured the farmers that government will give them relief so many farmers would not have died,” Sharma told TOI.

“I don’t understand what so big deal is for someone who had been giving so many false assurances for the last many years. At least these poor farmers would have survived in hope today,” he said.

Sharma said, earlier Chouhan used to blame the Centre for delay in relief package, though he could have taken steps to pacify debt-ridden farmers by waiving their electricity bills, loans and school fees of children.

And now, when BJP is ruling the country Chief Minister cannot muster courage to demand budget.

“When these farmers were committing suicide chief minister and prime minister were touring foreign countries,” he said.

Different associations for farmers are joining hands to initiate a strong action, said sources.

Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) held discussions with farmers on what state and Centre could have done to deal with the situation and stop farmer’s suicides.

“We would have to take a stronger step if this goes on,” said Sharma who had led 2010 protest.