The issue of farmers suicides and the agrarian crisis on Thursday rocked Parliament a day after a Rajasthan farmer ended his life in New Delhi, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that these problems are ‘deep-rooted’ and must be addressed collectively for which he is open to suggestions.
Expressing his anguish over the suicide by a farmer from Rajasthan during a rally by the Aam Aadmi Party, the prime minister said farmers cannot be left to fend for themselves and assessment would have to be made about ‘shortcomings’ that occurred before his government came as well as during his tenure.
Observing that nothing is more important than a farmer's life or for that matter a human life, he said, "The problem (afflicting the farmers) is old, deep-rooted and widespread and we have to seek solutions in that context."
"There should be a collective resolve in this regard. We have an open mind to consider any suggestion that is made... We cannot let the farmers die," he said.
Opposition members created ruckus in the Lok Sabha over the suicide incident, leading to adjournment of proceedings even as the government said it was ready to discuss the matter.
Earlier, Home minister Rajnath Singh was critical of the AAP over Wednesday’s incident.
Making a statement in Lok Sabha, he said the crowd gathered for the AAP rally there ‘clapped’ and ‘raised slogans’ as the farmer, Gajendra Singh, climbed up the tree and ended his life.
"The crowd was clapping. The police requested them to stop raising slogans. Generally, such people (who try to end lives) are engaged in talks to turn their mind but here the crowd kept clapping and raising slogans," he said.
The Home minister's remarks drew sharp reaction from the AAP. Accusing Singh of ‘spreading lies’ by alleging that AAP volunteers had stopped the police from helping the farmer, AAP leader Sanjay Singh told media persons that television footage of news channels of rally will clearly reveal the truth and show that several pleas were made to rescue the farmer but the police remained mute spectators.
It was the AAP volunteers who climbed the tree to try and save the farmer but by then he had hanged himself, he said. Youth Congress workers staged a demonstration at Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence while the Bharatiya Janata Party workers protested at the Delhi police headquarters demanding action against the rally organisers.
In Dausa in Rajasthan, Gajendra Singh, 41,was cremated at his native village in the district, with a large number of people including politicians converging there.
Modi said different governments have, from time to time, done their bit to address the crisis concerning farmers.
"Whatever governments could do, they have been doing," he added. Responding to the debate, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the government was standing by farmers and will do whatever is necessary to help them. He termed the farmer's suicide ‘unfortunate and shameful’.
Singh sought to turn the tables on the Congress after its members raised questions over the handling of the crisis by the government and demanded waiving of loans of farmers as was done by the United Progressive Alliance regime.
He said the loan-waiver was given by the UPA in an election year and without any natural crisis. To hit the Congress, he also quoted a CAG report to say that it was ‘full of scams’.
"The report talks about what kind of scams happened. It exposed this," he said, triggering protests from Congress members.
On the farmers' issue, he said the problems facing them have various dimensions.
He noted that the income from farm sector has been going down consistently and its contribution to GDP is only 14 per cent despite employing over 58 per cent of population. The agriculture's share in GDP was 55 per cent in 1951, he said.
"What is the reason that we have been trying to improve the lot of farmers for the last 65-66 years but still 60 percent of the population depends on the farm sector.
"I don't know whom to call anti-farmer and who pro-farmer. This blame game should stop," he said following digs by several opposition members at the BJP government, including its decision to bring a new land acquisition bill.
He cited various decisions taken by the Modi government, including an increase of 50 percent in compensation to farmers and relaxation in crop damage evaluation measures, to make a point about the Centre's help for farmers.
Farm productivity in India is among the lowest in the world, he said, adding that the children of farmers needed to be diverted to other occupation.