This refers to the article, “Opposition is milking the agrarian crisis” (May 5) by Sandhya Jain. Even after a favourable land acquisition law is enacted, farmers may still suffer crop damage due to the vagaries of nature. This can compel them to commit suicide. What is to be done in such a caseIJ Our leaders and commentators are unnecessarily playing politics in this situation.
For example, how exactly is the land acquisition Bill related to the suicide of Gajendra Singh KalyanwatIJ The real cause for his suicide remains unclear. Did he hang himself due to the financial distress caused by crop damage or due to the loan money, supposedly squandered on non-agricultural activity like a lavish weddingIJ How is it that the number of farmer suicides are higher in richer States like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka than in the poorer eastern StatesIJ Fatalism, perhaps, allows greater adjustment in real life situations.