Thaindian News

East Midnapore (West Bengal) Jan 6 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Friday held the “pro-rich policies” of the Congress and the Trinamool Congress responsible for the suicides of farmers in West Bengal.

“Because of the policies of the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, the cost of farming has gone up considerably. The farmers have to take credit and still they are not getting even the minimum prices because the government has not been buying the agricultural produce from the farmers,” former chief minister and CPI-M politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said.

Addressing a party rally at East Midnapore’s Tamluk, Bhattacharjee said the farmers’ suicides in the state were a direct consequence of the policies of the Congress government at the centre and the Trinamool Congress government at the state.

“Fertiliser prices have been decontrolled and they are continuously rising. The state government is hell bent on snatching away the land from the small farmers. And the farmers are steadily getting under debt trap. The Trinamool is compelling the farmers to commit suicide,” he said.

Bhattacharjee also blamed the incumbent government in the state for driving away industry.

Echoing Bhattacharjee’s view, CPI-M state secretary Biman Bose blamed the Congress and the Trinamool for the rising farmer suicides.

“Twelve farmers have committed suicide in the last 7 months. It is unprecedented. It is happening all because they (Congress and Trinamool Congress) are thinking only of the rich. As long as they continue to think for the wealthy, the suicides will continue,” he said.

Bose also said the CPI-M, which has lost considerable ground in the state, is in the process of introspecting and rectifying its follies.

“As a party, we continuously introspect and try to find and rectify our mistakes. I assure you that whatever mistakes we did because of which many people left us, will not be repeated again,” he said.