Can't abandon farmers, need collective response to crisis: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sought a collective response from political leaders to the agrarian crisis caused by unseasonal rains and resolved not to "abandon" the farmers.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Modi said: "It should be our determination to find a solution to this problem. The issue has been there for long... we will have to think together where we went wrong and what were the deficiencies in the system that resulted in the crisis."

Modi appealed to leaders across the political spectrum to come together and share their suggestions to address the problem of the rising number of farmers' suicide in the country.

"For years the issue of farmers committing suicide has been a matter of great concern... There is nothing more important than the life of the farmer," the prime minister said, adding that the government would ensure help to them in every possible way.

Modi stated that he was pained by a farmer's death at the Aam Aadmi Party rally here and said: "Ab hum apne kisano ko nahi marne denge (we won't let our farmers die anymore)."

"We can't abandon our farmers... I welcome good suggestions (to address the situation) by all," he added.

His statement came after a farmer from Rajasthan, whose crops were destroyed by unseasonal rain, hanged himself from a tree here during an AAP rally on Wednesday. The rally was called to protest against the controversial land ordinance.