Farmer commits suicide; union demands job for kin

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, November 2

A farmer allegedly committed suicide at Jabbowal village in Beas here on Monday. The victim, identified as Parminder Singh, was upset over his mounting debt and poor economic condition.

The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee urged Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to give a government job to a kin of the victim, besides granting Rs 5 lakh compensation to his family. They also demanded debt waiver for him.

They said the anti-farmer Bills passed by the Central Government would hit the farming community very hard and the country would witness more suicides by farmers. He said the Central Government was helping corporate houses by passing these laws.

Sarwan Singh Pandher, state general secretary of the union, said they would continue their agitation on rail tracks till November 6. A decision on the continuation of the protest would be taken during a state-level meeting of the association on November 5. He said the organisation had given a nationwide bandh call on November 5 and during the protest a large number of women would also take part.

The organisation also passed a resolution for justice to the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Meanwhile, the farmers sitting on the protest outside Rajya Sabha member Shwait Malik for the past 33 days said the entire state would unite to defeat the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

Farmer leaders Jatinder Singh Chhina, Kanwalpreet Singh Pannu and Harjit Singh Jheete said farmers were fighting to save their lands from the clutches of corporate houses. They said it was a question of livelihood and the future of their children.

According to information, Parminder Singh committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance. He had borrowed money for his daughter’s marriage around six months ago but due to the lockdown, he could not repay it.

The police have started inquest proceedings in the case.