Dead farmer's family aghast Kejriwal continued rally while their son hanged himself
Jaipur: Farmer Gajendra Singh, whose suicide has sent shockwaves across the country, was cremated in his village in Rajasthan on Thursday. His parents had brought the body last night. The entire village was in shock and sorrow. His father, wife and children were inconsolable as the body arrived in the village. The father even went unconscious.
Read: Farmer suicide case: Gajendra Singh was not distressed, claims family
Meanwhile, Gajendra’s close family and relatives have blamed Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for Gajendra’s death. “He was hanging himself and they continued with the rally. If Kejriwal’s son was committing suicide would Kejriwal still have continued with his speech,” they asked.
It has also emerged that Gajendra was not a poor farmer. He was an ambitious politician, who had contested elections too. There have been claims that the reason behind his suicide was a family feud.
Read: Farmer who committed suicide at AAP rally had contested elections in 2003
The eldest of the three brothers, Gajendra who studied till class 12, was married with three children. While his daughter is a class 12 student, his two other boys are aged 7 and 10. Neither of them are aware that their father is dead.
Read: Need to find solutions collectively for farmers’ woes: Narendra Modi
Gajendra, who has a well-maintained house and large farm holding, began his career in politics with his uncle Gopal Singh who was formerly a pradhan and sarpanch. Gajendra initially started with the BJP but when he failed to get the ticket in 2003 Assembly election he contested election on Samajwadi Party ticket, which he lost. He was district president and member of state executive of the SP. Before 2013 Assembly elections, he joined the Congress. When he was once again denied ticket, he became close to AAP.
Read: Farmer suicide at rally: When an Aam Aadmi ends life
However, Gajendra had acquired fame in turban tying. He was so quick that in a minute he could tie 12 turbans. He also mastered the art of tying 33 different styles of turbans. This skill made him a much sought after person by people in tourism industry and political parties to tie turbans to foreign tourists and big politicians in a rally, which included Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Murali Manohar Joshi and Rajnath Singh.
Read: Farmer suicide at AAP rally: Congress, BJP protest outside Arvind Kejriwal's residence
Gajendra also had his own website jaipurisaffe.com, for the same.
Another farmer commits suicide
Even as controversy broke out over Gajendra Singh’s suicide in AAP rally on Wednesday, another farmer has committed suicide in Bharatpur district, which makes it the third suicide in last 24 hours in Rajasthan.
According to reports, Titu (35) hanged himself from a ceiling fan. His family members told the police that he had a poor harvest of wheat, and a disappointed Titu went to sleep in his room. Hours later, his body was seen hanging from the ceiling fan.
Earlier, the day when Gajendra Singh’s suicide in Aam Aadmi Party rally hogged limelight, a farmer in Alwar district had jumped before a train.
Harsu Jaatav of Katori Wala Tibara village was into heavy debts as the yield from his crops was poor due to the rain and hail storm, which further caused financial distress. He hadn’t received compensation for the crop damage from the government.
So far 41 farmers have committed suicide in Rajasthan because of crop damage. This is first time when so many farmers have committed suicide in the state as state faces drought every other year.
