Farmer’s suicide: BJP terms Agri Minister’s statement ‘irresponsible’

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 5:

Taking swipe at Odisha Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy over Bargarh farmer’s suicide, state unit of BJP today termed his statement as ‘irresponsible’.

“The minister’s statement in the House on Bargarh farmer Hadu Bagarti’s suicide was false as not a single government official had visited the house of the farmer for inquiry”, said BJP national secretary Suresh Pujari.

Addressing a press meet here today, the BJP leader said, “The minister attributed the farmer’s suicide to family dispute. But quarrel between couples is a normal practice in every household. If it was the reason behind the suicide, all the husbands would have taken the extreme step to end life”.

“The minister informed the House without conducting any probe”, he said.

Defending himself, minister Maharathy said, “I have only made statement in Assembly as per the report of Bargarh Collector”.

Pujari’s statement came just a day after the minister informed the House that Bargarh farmer Hadu Bagarti could have ended his life due to family dispute and not due to crop loss or debt burden.

“He had a quarrel with his wife over sprinkling pesticide in the field following which he consumed pesticide”, Maharathy further told media.

Meanwhile, BJP has decided to stage protest by burning effigy of Maharathy over the issue in all the district headquarters on March 7.