BENGALURU: Is Karnataka the new Vidarbha as scores of farmers, unable to break free from shackles of money lenders, end their lives at an alarming rate of two cases every 36 hours, or 61 since April 2015?
On a day when four more farmers ended their lives, this rush of suicides in recent months dominated proceedings in both Houses with the principal Opposition, BJP, thwarting JD (S) legislators from walking away with the credit of moving a no-confidence motion, by holding up proceedings in the Legislative Assembly and later staging a walkout after demanding a ten-fold increase in the ex-gratia to such victims.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s assurance that these families would henceforth get Rs 2 lakhs or double the ex-gratia paid so far or his word that tough action would be taken against modern-day Shylocks did not stop them from slamming the government as anti-farmer.
The Opposition got support from unexpected quarters with KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar asking the state government to instruct co-operative banks, financial institutions and private money lenders to declare a year’s freeze on recovery of outstanding loans.
He asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to order a crackdown against private money lenders who have been harassing farmers for recovery of loans, and to tour the state and visit families which have lost their breadwinners in recent days.
Indicating that KPCC would send a report on farmers’ suicides to central leaders, he said he has asked all district unit chiefs to send inputs from areas which have witnessed gut-wrenching scenes of farmers ending their lives on their farms.
