Digital Desk: The Congress party blamed the ruling BJP
government's policies for farmer suicides in the country on Tuesday, claiming
that one farmer committed suicide every hour.
Addressing a press conference following the suicide of
Pune-based Dashrath Lakshman Kedari on September 17, Congress spokesperson
Supriya Shrinate said the farmer blamed "the BJP government's policies for
his death and noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was only concerned with
himself" in his suicide note.
"Dashrath Lakshman Kedari stated in his suicide note that
he had no money to repay his loans and was ending his life due to helplessness.
He sought a reasonable MSP (Minimum Support Price) for farm produce as a
farmers' right and blamed the incumbent government's policies for his decision
to end his life "Ms Shrinate explained.
She stated that up to 10,881 people involved in agriculture
committed suicide in 2021, accounting for 6.6% of the 1,64,033 suicide deaths
last year.
"This means that 30 farmers commit suicide every day, and
more than one farmer dies every hour," she explained.
According to data from the National Crimes Record Bureau, more
than 53,881 farmers committed suicide between 2014 and 2021, equating to 21
deaths per day.
Ms Shrinate found it ironic that 2022, the year by which the
government promised to double farmers' income, saw them earn "barely Rs 27
on average."
"Who is to blame for Indian farmers' predicament? This
government's policies, "Congress's leader stated.
She also mentioned the deaths of over 700 farmers during the
year-long farmers' agitation against the three agricultural reform laws, accusing
the government of "apathy toward farmers and the farm sector."
Furthermore, she stated that the government's statements before
the Supreme Court that payment of MSP above 50% of farmers' costs would distort
the market, and that the Centre's decision not to procure the produce if state
governments paid more than the MSP clearly went against the farmers.
The Congress leader claimed that the government had "looted the farmers" by raising diesel prices and imposing a variety of GST on farm products, including 5% on fertiliser, 18% on insecticides, 12% on farm equipment, and 18% on tractors, "pushing the production cost to Rs 25,000 per hectare."
According to Ms Shrinate, who cited data from the National Sample Service Organization, the average daily earnings of farmers are now Rs 12 compared to an average loan of Rs 74,000.
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