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Suicide by farmers: Cong. to seek NHRC intervention again

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Sept. 19. Strongly condemning what it called the inaction of the State Government in taking steps to prevent suicide by farmers, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) said that it would approach the National Human Rights Commission again seeking its intervention in the matter.

"Despite recommendations made by the NHRC in January this year, the Government failed to control suicide by farmers. Hence, we will approach the NHRC again which can recommend several steps including invocation of Article 356 in the State," the CLP leader, Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy, said.

Speaking to reporters in the Assembly lobbies on Friday, the CLP leader said that the NHRC had earlier ordered an inquiry by the former secretary to the Prime Minister, K.R Venugopal, special rapporteur to NHRC, to probe into the matter and submit a report . He toured different parts of the State and interacted with officials at various levels before finalising his report. In his report, Mr Venugopal recommended steps like social security measures for the victims' families, cancellation of debts in all cases of suicide deaths and payment of a minimum ex gratia of Rs 2 lakhs in addition to a further sum of Rs 1 lakh to settle debts.

Quoting from the report, the CLP leader said that Mr Venugopal said that the State Government's failure to go to the rescue of the families of the suicide victims by way of comprehensive relief measures had the definite potential of being classified as negligence leading to violation of human rights from "now onwards." "Continued inaction could attract 12 (a) of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993," the report said. "However, more than nine months after the report was submitted, there is no action from the Government and the suicides are continuing," Mr Reddy said.

Stating that the Government's indifferent attitude in providing quality seed, fertilizer and power is forcing the farmers to take the extreme step, he said that the Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, however, states that farmers are committing suicide in the lure of ex gratia, while another Minister describes them as crazy. "While the issue had been raised in Parliament where the Union Agriculture Minister, Rajnath Singh, claims that every three out of four farmers committing suicide in the country are from AP, the Government continues to neglect the farm sector," he said.

In view of this, the Congress had decided to ask the NHRC to intervene in the matter and use its Constitutional powers, if necessary. "The common man's condition is going from bad to worse but the elected government is not taking steps to cater to their needs. The people who voted the Government to power have no power to recall the Government and hence, the Congress' request for dismissal of the Government," he pointed out clarifying that there were no political reasons behind the Congress demand.

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