Farmer suicide case: Gajendra Singh was not distressed, claims family

New Delhi: Gajendra Singh, who committed suicide on Wednesday by hanging himself at Aam Aadmi Party’s rally in full public view was not a distressed farmer. According to his family members, Singh’s financial situation was not that bad as he did not suffer from major crop loss in the recent unseasonal rains.

According to initial reports, Singh owned around seven acres of land in his native place. Singh was known to be politically active at protests and rallies and had also had contested election as a Samajwadi Party candidate in the 2003 state polls, winning only 3,000 votes.

Singh reportedly told an aunt in Delhi that he would come to her house after the rally to have dinner. Singh also left a suicide note, which said that he has three children and had been disowned by his father after their crops were destroyed in last month’s hailstorm. In the note, he also said he had nothing to look forward to in life and it had become difficult for him to survive. He ended the note with Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Rajasthan slogan. The phone numbers of his family were also scribbled on the piece of paper.

Dausa district Tehsildar Satish Kumar Jain stated that the Gajendra was 'financially sound'.

"Don't think financial crisis was the reason. We did not receive any application on his behalf for compensation," Jain had said.

In the meantime, opposition party Congress targets both AAP and BJP for the suicide by Gajendra Singh and demands registration of a case of abetment to suicide against the Centre and Delhi governments.

Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said that the government did not have any problem in discussing the issue in the House.

“Government is ready for a statement on this issue, Congress and other parties are playing politics over this,” he said.

Delhi Police Comissioner BS Bassi said that a report on the incident was sent to the Home Minsitry.

“We will look into the matter, and whatever needs to be done will be done. We have submitted a report to the Home Ministry,” he said.

According to reports Home Minister Rajnath Singh met Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi in the day to discuss the issue.