BHUBANESWAR: Speaker Niranjan Pujari today directed the state government to make a statement on the alleged suicide of a farmer in Bargarh district and distress sale of vegetables in different areas by March 4.
The Speaker gave the direction after the issue was again raised by leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra during zero hour. Congress members created a ruckus in the house over the issue during the
last two days as a result of which no business could be transacted.
Raising the issue, the leader of the opposition criticised the state government and describd it as "deaf and dumb" for not responding to farmers' miseries being reported in media. "We have a deaf and dumb government which does not react. Will we not consider the government as deaf and dumb? We have been shouting for two days. Are we speaking to the walls ?" he said and added the government should react if it claimed to be pro-farmer.
Mishra said the collector and superintendent of police of Bargarh should visit the residence of the farmer who committed suicide due to government "inaction". However, the district authorities deputed revenue department officials to probe the matter, he said.
He wanted to know what happened to the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who visited Bargarh last year, to the farmers. "But to what extent the promises have been fulfilled? This house has the right to know about the steps being taken so far for the development of farmers in the state," he said.
KV Singhdeo (BJP) said his party wanted a detailed discussion on farmer's suicide and other issues related to the welfare of the farming community. "The state government had announced `100 bonus per quintal of paddy for the drought affected farmers. However, the farmers have not received any such amount," he said.