Chandigarh, September 19, 2017: In a hard-hitting statement, Leader of Opposition, Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Tuesday alleged the figures of farmers suicides during the last 6 months in Punjab which were released by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh were fudged.
For this, he alleged that Captain Amarinder Singh and his predecessor Badals were on the same page in downplaying this burning issue.
As per Capt.’s statement, only 131 farmers had committed suicides from March to September 2017, claiming that suicides had declined now if compared to the corresponding period of 2016, during the Badal regime. Khaira said this is nothing but a cook and bull story, blatantly erroneous amounting to playing with the sentiments of struggling peasantry.
Khaira claimed that as per data collected by his Vidhan Sabha Office from 1st July to 18th September 2017, as many as 118 farmers and labourer’s had committed suicides.
"If 118 farmers had committed suicide in just 79 days I:e 1st July to 18th September, one can imagine how many farmers would have committed suicide in the remaining period commencing 16th March to 1st July i.e 106 days," he said while maintaining that he stood by his figure of more than 250 farmers having committed suicide during the last six months of Congress rule.
Khaira dared Capt. Amarinder Singh to an open public debate at a place and time of his choice. “In case the CM backs out, it would be presumed that the figure of 250 suicides is authentic, for which the CM will have to apologize,” he said.
He alleged that Capt. Amarinder Singh was treading the same path of lies as Sukhbir Badal, who always down played suicides by suppressing data. Badal had once in 2007 ordered survey of farm related suicides by the Punjab Agriculture University Ludhiana, Punjabi University Patiala and GNDU Amritsar but never made public the findings, as the figure of suicide was so high particularly in the Malwa region that the Akalis felt ashamed.
“It is now abundantly clear that like his betrayal over the debt waiver to the farmers, Capt. Amarinder Singh is trying to turn his back upon the aggrieved families of suicide victims by fudging figures and down playing suicides in Punjab.” stated Khaira. Khaira said it was unfortunate, that the CM has not even acknowledged his letter suggesting a special three day Vidhan Sabha session to discuss threadbare suicides and farm indebtedness.
Khaira also strongly condemned the alleged repression on leaders of seven farmer organizations that have announced a 5 day ‘Gherao’ of Capt. Amarinder Singh’s Patiala residence to protest u-turn of debt waiver. Khaira said instead of offering solution to suicides, Capt. Amarinder Singh has started using harsh measures against farmers, which is very unfortunate.