Modi govt responsible for suicides by farmers: Togadia

Hindutva leader Pravin Togadia Saturday blamed "wrong policies" of Narendra Modi government for farmers' suicides in the country.

Togadia, who has recently floated Antar-Rashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP), Saturday took part in a 20-km march from Dehgam to Gandhinagar in support of the farmers.

Several locals and farmers participated in the protest which was organised by the Rashtriya Kissan Parishad (RKP), an AHP wing.

While talking to reporters at Gandhinagar after culmination of the march, Togadia said the BJP should stop considering the farmers as a "vote-bank".

"Government has betrayed and tortured the farmers to the limits. Enough is enough. Farmers are being crushed under a mountain of debt and are committing suicides due to wrong policies of the government. This government should resign if they cannot do justice to the farming community", demanded Togadia.

He accused the prime minister of "betraying" farmers by "not keeping" promises.

"Modi had promised that recommendations made by the Swaminathan Commission for farmers in its report will be implemented in toto. But, as usual, he betrayed farmers on this promise too. The government has also fooled farmers in the name of Minimum Support Price (MSP) declared recently", the former VHP leader said.

Commenting on the problems being faced by the agriculturists in Gujarat, Togadia alleged the BJP government is favouring industries over farmers by supplying them water and electricity.

"Though a canal passes from Dehgam, local farmers do not get water from it. On the other hand, industries are getting water generously. Crop insurance is a scheme to fill the pockets of some insurance companies. If this continues, such protests would take place across the country", he said.

Togadia demanded a total debt waiver for farmers, a separate budget for agriculture, better MSP, and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendation.

"If the government fails to act now, farmers would teach a lesson to the ruling BJP in the 2019 polls", he said.