Thaindian News

Kolkata, Jan 21 (IANS) Ruling alliance partner Congress Saturday attacked the Mamata Banerjee government over the spate of farmer suicides, alleging her comments on the issue were based on “misinformation” passed on by bureaucrats, and has demanded an all-party committtee to probe the situation.

Earlier this week, Banerjee denied that heavy agricultural debts were driving farmers to end their lives and claimed the suicides were due to “personal loans and family problems”.

“From media reports and other reports we have come to know that 24 farmers have committed suicide. Some officers of the agricultural department are passing on wrong information to the chief minister and that is why she is saying the farmers have died because of personal loans and depression. This is not true,” state Congress chief Pradip Bhattacharya told mediapersons here.

“Why are the farmers depressed? We need to find out the reasons behind that depression. Are the farmers not getting proper prices for their agricultural products? Are the farmers not getting urea and seeds?” asked Bhattacharya.

Bhattacharya demanded an all-party committee be formed to investigate the reasons behind the farmer suicides.

“The family members of the farmers who have committed suicides should be given compensation. An all party committee should be formed to investigate the reasons driving the farmers towards suicide,” he said.

The Congress along with the opposition Left Front has been severely criticising the Trinamool Congress-led state government for alleged mismanagement of the agricultural issues in the state which, they claim, is driving farmers to suicide.

Bhattacharya said the Congress has already formed a fact-finding committee of its own to investigate the matter.