BJP questions Gehlot govt on death of farmer who protested for 23 days

Jaipur, Aug 29 : BJP state president Satish Poonia on Saturday questioned the Gehlot Government over the death of a young farmer leader who had been staging a protest in Jodhpur for 23 days.

The farmer leader Pukhraj was participating in a sit-in staged by Kisan Sangh in Jodhpur, he passed away on Friday night after his health worsened.

Speaking to the media, Poonia said, “The young farmer leader Pukhraj fell ill after sitting on dharna in CM’s home constituency on Friday night and died in the hospital. What will the state government say now and what shall it do,” he questioned.

“Besides, Pukhraj’s death, suicides by three farmers – Sher Singh, Motaram and Jagdish – have been reported in the state in the last few months which has brought infamy for the state,” he said.

Poonia mentioned that during the assembly poll campaign, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and CM Ashok Gehlot had repeatedly promised to the farmers that their loans would be waived off, but many farmers committed suicide as they suffered under the pressure of loans from cooperative banks.

“As an opposition leader, I bring forth the plight of these farmers in front of the insensitive CM and request him to take up the issue of a farmer leader’s death seriously or else farmers across the state shall stage a protest,” he added.

Farmers under the banner of Kisan Sangh have been protesting in Jodhpur for over 20 days, demanding a waiver on electricity bills and also, the grant of Rs 822 that they had been receiving against Rs 10000 bills each month under the former government that has been stopped by the Congress government.

–IANS
arc/ptr