Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad has said people should not attend the funerals of farmers who die by suicide, arguing that the prospect of their bodies being left to be eaten by animals could deter others from taking their own lives.
According to a PTI report, the Buldhana MLA made the controversial remarks at a press conference in Maharashtra on Tuesday, while responding to a question about a recent statement by a politician who had apparently inadvertently used an expletive while speaking about farmer suicides.
Gaikwad urged farmers facing difficulties to approach the government, their MLAs or MPs for help instead of taking their own lives and leaving their families in distress.
“If you (farmers) have a problem, write to the government, your MLA or your MP. Otherwise, let me know about your difficulties, and everyone will help you. But by taking your own life and leaving your children helpless, you are, in a way, punishing them,” he said, as quoted by PTI.
“You take the seven sacred rounds with your wife, vow to stand by her for seven lifetimes and promise to look after your children. Yet, if you end your life halfway through, what happens to those promises?” he asked.
The Shiv Sena legislator said he had repeatedly advocated in his speeches that nobody should attend the funeral of a person who died by suicide.
“Only when people realise that their bodies may be eaten by animals and understand what happens to their remains will they stop committing suicide,” Gaikwad said, according to PTI.
The MLA has faced controversies in the past. In 2024, he displayed a tiger tooth worn around his neck and claimed to have hunted the big cat in 1987. In 2025, he allegedly slapped a canteen staff member at the MLA hostel in Mumbai over a complaint that stale food had been served.
