New Delhi: The Opposition came down heavily on the Kerala government for failing to mitigate agrarian distress after a farmer died by suicide allegedly due to financial problems as he did not get payment for paddy procurement, news agency PTI reported.
In a suicide note reportedly left behind by KG Prasad, the deceased farmer, he held the Left government and some banks responsible for his financial crisis.
The 55-year-old paddy farmer, hailing from Ambedkar Colony in Alappuzha, had allegedly consumed poison on Friday. He was admitted to the hospital where he died on Saturday, police said, as reported by PTI.
Although police are yet to confirm if financial crisis was the reason behind Prasad taking the extreme step, his family alleged he ended his life after he failed to get payment for the paddy procurement from the government.
"The state government should have paid this loan amount to the bank but they failed to do it. Naturally it lowered the CIBIL score of Prasad. When he recently approached banks for a loan, the bank authorities denied him the amount citing his low CIBIL score," PTI quoted one of his friends as saying.
The farmer’s death has brought the state’s paddy procurement scheme under lens as the Opposition slammed the government for its ‘anti-farmer’ policies.
Taking potshots at the Kerala government, senior Congress leader Satheesan said Prasad death is proof of the government’s neglect towards farmers.
"Even in his suicide note also, Prasad registered his protest against the government," PTI quoted Satheesan as saying.
BJP state chief K Surendran targeted the state saying the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government was responsible for Prasad’s death.
Governor Arif Muhammed Khan, who visited a hospital, said the government can splurge on celebrations but cannot prioritise the farmers.
“They are spending money on celebrations. If the poor farmer, who is on the payrolls of the social welfare department is not the priority of the government, what can I say? The people of the state will take note of it,” PTI quoted Khan as saying.
Meanwhile, BJP activists carrying the mortals remains, laid siege to a state highway as a mark of protest.
However, Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, defended the government, saying PRS arrears are not the reason behind the farmer’s death.
“There was no such situation in the state in which farmers were not able to avail bank loans due to low CIBIL score because of PRS arrears,” Anil said, as quoted by PTI.