Farmers in Yavatmal have started a month-long campaign to write over two lakh letters to the Maharashtra Governor and the President of India highlighting the apathy of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards their demands.
The first letter was written and posted on April 14 by Jayashri Chayare, the eldest daughter of Shankar Chayare who killed himself by consuming poison on April 10 in Rajurwadi village in Yavatmal. In his suicide note, Chayare blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his death. For three days, his family members refused to accept his body and demanded that the Chief Minister visit them and hand over adequate compensation.
Shetkari Nyay Hakka Samiti (Farmers’ Committee for Justice), headed by Congress leader Dewanand Pawar, is spearheading the campaign. Mr. Pawar said, “This is not the first case of a farmer in Yavatmal blaming the Prime Minister’s for his death in the suicide note. However, the government remains insensitive to the problems farmers are grappling with.”
Mr. Pawar said the campaign was started after the Chief Minister refused to meet the bereaved family when he visited Yavatmal. He said, “We are sending letters to the Governor and the President to draw their attention to the woes of farmers and highlight the insensitive attitude of the Chief Minister and PM Modi.”
Mr. Pawar said the family members of all farmers who had committed suicide in the district in the past few years were participating in the campaign. Jayashri, who wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind, said, “My father took his life owing to rising debt burden and continued crop failure in the last few seasons. He was worried about my wedding and the education of my brother and sisters.” Jayashri said her father in his suicide note had clearly mentioned the ‘anti-farmer’ policies of the Modi government had forced him to commit suicide.
She said, “I demand that an FIR be registered against the Modi government under Sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code. I condemn the Modi government for being responsible for my father’s death.”
