Opp holds Odisha govt responsible for farmer suicides

BHUBANESWAR: Leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra on Wednesday blamed the Odisha government for the death of 141 farmers allegedly due to crop loss and loan burden.

He said the government is solely responsible for the death of farmers in the state as it remained indifferent towards the plight of farmers.

Initiating an adjournment motion over farmer suicide deaths and lackadaisical attitude of the government, he said the government is totally unconcerned about farmer suicide and failed to protect their lives.

The Congress leader demanded a judiciary probe or house committee probe into the death of farmers rejecting the inquiry report of collectors, which claimed that no farmer had committed suicide due to crop loss and loan burden.

He also demanded Rs 20 lakh to the deceased farmer families and Rs 20,000 per acre in the drought-affected areas in the state.

Seeking a statement of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the farmer suicide issue, Mishra also sought an all-party panel to be constituted at the district level in the state to take stock of the grim situation so that some positive steps can be taken and it will send a good message among the aggrieved farmers.