Farmers' suicides are result of family disputes, says MP Home Minister

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh on Tuesday said farmers' suicides in the state are a result of family disputes and not because of debt in agriculture.

Speaking to ANI, Singh said, "There can be many personal reasons for suicide like family disputes and other reasons but we believe in a farmer who commits suicide due to debt in agriculture."

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala stated that the entire nation and party workers of the grand old party are trying their best to expose the BJP's 'anti farmers' mindset'.

Speaking to ANI, Surjewala said, "We totally reject the BJP's conspiracy and low comments on us. The entire nation and every Congress workers are trying their best to expose the saffron party's anti farmers' mindset. Be it Jyotiraditya, Digvijaya Singh or any MLA, every Congress men will fight in the forefront for the farmers. Instead of shedding crocodile tears, the BJP leaders should listen to the farmers."

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, earlier in the day, was arrested under Section 151 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) near Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur.

Scindia, along with his supporters, was stopped from entering Mandsaur at Dhodar while en route to meet the kin of farmers' killed in police firing during an agitation.

Section 151 of the IPC refers to a situation wherein a person or persons knowingly join or continue in assembly of five or more persons after being commanded to disperse.

Speaking to the reporters, Scindia said, "144 laga hai to maine police ko kaha hai mai akele jaunga. Kaun rok sakta hai agar ek insaan akele jana chahta hai? (I have told the police that if I am charged with 144 then I will go alone. Who can stop if a person wants to go alone?)"

Gujarat's Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel, earlier in the day, was detained in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district, who had also come to visit the kin of farmers' killed in police firing.

Hardik led a violent movement in Gujarat last year over a demand for quotas for Patidars.

Mandsaur has become the epicentre of farmers' agitation over a demand for loan waivers and better prices for their produce.

During the agitation, six farmers were gunned down by the police, thereby drawing criticism from political parties. The situation forced the district officials to impose Section 144, and restricted prominent personalities from visiting the violence-hit district.

A number of political leaders, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, and social activists, tried to visit Mandsaur but the police didn't let them enter the area.

The curfew has been lifted from Mandsaur, but prohibitory orders remain in place.

Meanwhile, the state government has issued a notification for the judicial probe of the Mandsaur violence. Retired Justice J. K. Jain will head the one-member judicial commission.

The single member commission will probe under what circumstances the farmers were killed in the agitation.

The commission will also probe the action taken by the administration and police to control the situation was appropriate or not.

-ANI