Hisar farmer ends life by hanging from tree at Tikri border, blames three farm laws

Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, March 7

A 48-year-old farmer died by suicide as he hung himself from a tree at the Tikri-Bahadurgarh border on Sunday. He left a note blaming the three contentious farm laws for the extreme step.

The deceased, who was actively participating in the farmers' agitation, has been identified as Rajbir from Hisar district.

A suicide note recovered from the spot said the three farm laws were responsible for him taking the extreme step.

The incident came to light when fellow farmers spotted his body hanging from the tree near the Kasar village turn and informed the police.

In a suicide note, Rajbir called upon the farmers to go back home only after the three farm laws are repealed and the minimum support price (MSP) is guaranteed. He also demanded the Union Government fulfil his last wish and repeal the laws.

“The government demands sacrifice hence I sacrifice on behalf of farmers,” stated the suicide note.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) Haryana has expressed a deep sense of grief on the tragic incident.

"The note left behind by the deceased shows the extent of anguish among the protesting farmers as a result of utter insensitivity of the Modi government," said Inderjeet Singh, a leader of the SKM.

He claimed these sacrifices shall not go to waste and the people would "severely punish the BJP and JJP".

Last month, a farmer from Jind in Haryana who was also supporting the agitation against the Centre’s farm laws had allegedly hanged himself from a tree, merely two kilometres from the Tikri border protest site.

Earlier, another farmer from Haryana had allegedly consumed a poisonous substance at the Tikri border. He had died during treatment at a Delhi hospital later.

In December last, a lawyer from Punjab had allegedly killed himself by consuming poison a few kilometres away from the protest site at the Tikri border.

Earlier, Sikh preacher Sant Ram Singh had also allegedly ended his life near the Singhu border protest site, claiming that he was “unable to bear the pain of the farmers”.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting since November last year at Delhi borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.

However, the Centre has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture. —with PTI