A distressed farmer from Osmanabad district in Maharashtra on Tuesday attempted to commit suicide by settling himself on fire in front of Vidhan Bhavan in south Mumbai, where the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislature is going on currently.
Identified as one Subhash Bhanudas Deshmukh, the farmer doused himself with kerosene and set himself on fire near the Inox gate of the State Legislature building. He sustained 30 per cent burn wounds. He was rushed to GT Hospital, where he is being treated.
The incident triggered instant protests within the State Assembly. The NCP-led Opposition staged a noisy walk out from the State Assembly to register its protest against measly financial assistance extended to heavy rain-affected farmers.
Senior Congress leader and state party Nana Patole came down heavily on the Shinde-led Sena faction- BJP alliance government had become an “insensitive” dispensation. “The farmer suicides have increased in the state because of insensitive manner in which is dealing with issues of farmers. The state government should give the farmer concerned adequate compensation,” Patole said. On his part, chief minister Eknath Shinde had earlier announced that the state government has doubled the sum of compensation mentioned in the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) norms.
Shinde said that the state government would also extend assistance to farmers in places that had recorded less than 65 mm rains in 24 hours, but witnessed 33 per cent loss of actual sown soil. The people whose houses have been damaged during the rains, would a get Rs 15,000 as one-time assistance, the chief minister added.
Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the suicide attempt by the farmer was “unfortunate” and that the state government was monitoring the situation. He said that the farmer concerned had attempted to commit suicide after a feud with his brother over a land dispute.
“Prima facie, the farmer suffered 15 to 20 per cent burn injuries. The incident is unfortunate and the government is monitoring the situation,” Fadnavis said.
A senior police officer said: “Security personnel on duty rushed to the farmer who had set himself on fire. He doused the flames and rushed the farmer to the GT Hospital. He is conscious.”