Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) Working President Ramdayal Uikey revealed before the media the probe committee report and said that the alleged suicide committed by a farmer in Marwahi was due to default payment of agriculture loan. Uikey headed the probe committee constituted by CPCC to investigate the matter.
Addressing a press conference, Uikey said that the farmer Suresh Maravi, who had committed suicide, was debt ridden. He was unable to repay the loan due to prevailing drought like condition in the region. The region has been facing drought like situation for fiscal year 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.
He was being sent regular notices by revenue department and Bank. The bank had pressurised him to accept the notice, Uikey added. The first notice was of Rs 28,621.00 while the second was of Rs1, 50,606. The crop insurance scheme was also not given on time. Rs12000 were to be paid in year 2014-15 while it was Rs13361.00 in year 2016-17. Both amounts have not been paid till date of death. It had pushed him to desperation causing depression due to financial crisis. It has led him to take the extreme steps, said Uikey.
“When the state was facing a drought like situation, the farmers should not have been served the notices. Also, they should not have been forced to pay the debt”, Uikey said.
The Congress leader further demanded ex-gratia of at least Rs25 lakh to the bereaved family and sought action against the Government and bank officials deliberately serving notices and forcing him to pay the debt. In case, the demands are not fulfilled Congress is going to stage protest and will fight for the rights of the family of the deceased, he said.