Karnataka farmer suicides: No leader visits farmer Ratan Singh’s family

KALABURAGI: Ratan Singh, a farmer in debt, committed self-harm the same day as Ningegowda, who turned his sugarcane field into a pyre and jumped into it in Gaanada Hosur, a village in Pandavapura taluk, Mandya district, but unlike political bigwigs who visited the kin of Ningegowda, none turned up to offer condolences at his residence in Nelogi village in Jewargi taluk so far.

According to Ratan Singh’s kin, neither the local legislator Dr Ajay Singh, nor district in-charge minister Qamar-Ul Islam and Lok Sabha member M Mallikarjun Khare visited the village to either offer condolences or announce an ex gratia for the family. Mr Allam Prabhu Patil, MLC, has been the only leader to visit Nelogi which incidentally is the home of former chief minister N Dharam Singh. Mr Islam and Mr Kharge, both were in Kalaburagi during last three days.

“It is sad that both the district in-charge minister as well as the local MP failed to visit the Nelogi, as also the local MLA. This shows their disregard for a farmer’s life”, said Mr Maruthi Manpade, president of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha.