Cong, BJP demand judicial probe into farmer suicides

Opposition Congress and BJP today demanded a judicial inquiry into all farmer suicides in Odisha, including the recent ones reported from Bargarh and Nabarangpur districts.
While Odisha PCC Kurushak cell submitted a memorandum to Governor S C Jamir on the demand, BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty alleged that the state has been covering up such incidents.
"We demand Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family members of farmers who committed suicide due to crop loss or debt burden," said OPCC's Krushak Cell president Amiya Patnaik.
Accusing the ruling BJD of adopting an "insensitive" attitude towards farmers' plight, Mohanty said "BJP is with the farmers of Odisha and we want a judicial probe into the suicide allegations that have come up from different parts of the state."

The party claimed that as many 174 farmers have committed suicide due to crop loss and debt burden.
On the recent death of a farmer in Bargarh district, Mohanty said the collector had prepared a report without visiting the agriculture field and village of the deceased.
The farmer's family has rejected the state government's inquiry report which said he had taken his life due to family quarrel and not due to crop loss and debt burden.
Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy, in statement in the assembly on March 4 had said the dead farmer's agricultural field had enough water.