Karnataka farmer ends life as Cong-JD(S) government fails to deliver waiver promise

In a second such incident in a Congress-ruled state, another farmer committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence in Vijayapura, Karnataka on 25 June as he could not pay back the debt to the bank. A farmer by the name Sangappa Harasangi committed suicide after he failed to pay back Rs 2 lakhs to Syndicate Bank. The farmer, who couldn't find stable minimum prices for his produce along with the rainfall deficiency, committed suicide as he found no relief from the government's side as the waiver promised before the poll was not delivered. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy, who is on a village-to-village tour, had included the complete waiver of farmer loans in the pre-poll manifesto. However, following the election, HD Kumaraswamy failed to deliver his promises, as he rolled back the waiver scheme previously announced, later on, clarified as a technical glitch. HDK also used bizarre reasoning that nationalized banks were not cooperating with the state government in waiving off the loans of the farmers and that only those who borrowed from the Centre run banks were facing difficulties in procuring the waiver. He announced a one-time waiver for the farmers in the state, something he still has not delivered.

READ | Rajasthan Farmer Ends Life, Names CM Ashok Gehlot-led Congress Government For Unfulfilled Loan Waiver Promise In His Suicide Note

This is the second consecutive suicide by a farmer in a Congress-ruled state after a 45-year old farmer committed suicide in Sri Ganganagar district at Thakri village in Rajasthan on 23 June, naming Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Ghelot and leader Sachin Pilot for failing to aid the farmers and provide relief to them in the form of waivers that were promised before the elections. Meghwal who consumed poison died while being taken to the Sri Ganganagar district hospital. In the video, he says:

"I am killing myself, but I would like to urge the Ashok Gehlot government to take note of farmers' grievances and pay back their dues. I want to apologize to my family too if I have done them any wrong. I hope that unity returns to this village after my death."

In his suicide note, he has blamed the Gehlot- Sachin-led Congress government for his suicide. He has said that the government should face the people and he is taking away his life so that other farmers of the village do not bear the false promises of the state government. He has also written that his funeral should not be held until and unless the state government pays the loan of the people. 

Farmers in Karnataka are extremely affected by the failure of the pre-poll promises and their worries are compounded by water shortage and minimum sale price issues. The Congress-JD(S) has been making promises and has not been able to fulfill them, with the Chief Minister going on village tours without being aware of the ground reality. 

'He Was Not Under Debt,' Says Deputy CM Of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot After Suicide Note Of Farmer Accuses Him Of His Unfulfilled Loan Waiver Promise