A Sikh priest from Haryana, took his own life by cocking the trigger on himself Wednesday at a site where farmers have been protesting. Via a hand-written note, the 65-year-old Baba Ram Singh expressed his pain and anguish over the protest against the three agriculture bills passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in September.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter expressing both sadness and concern over his death. “The news of Sant Baba Ram Singh Ji’s suicide is painful. I offer my condolences to his family in this hour of grief. Our farmers are asking for their rights. The government should listen to the voice of the farmers and all three black laws should be withdrawn,” Kejriwal tweeted.
करनाल के संत बाबा राम सिंह जी ने कुंडली बॉर्डर पर किसानों की दुर्दशा देखकर आत्महत्या कर ली। इस दुख की घड़ी में मेरी संवेदनाएँ और श्रद्धांजलि।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 16, 2020
कई किसान अपने जीवन की आहुति दे चुके हैं। मोदी सरकार की क्रूरता हर हद पार कर चुकी है।
ज़िद छोड़ो और तुरंत कृषि विरोधी क़ानून वापस लो! pic.twitter.com/rolS2DWNr1
संत बाबा राम सिंह जी की आत्महत्या की ख़बर बेहद पीड़ादाई है। इस दुख की घड़ी में उनके परिवार के प्रति संवेदनाएं।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 16, 2020
हमारा किसान अपना हक़ ही तो मांग रहा है, सरकार को किसानों की आवाज़ सुननी चाहिए और तीनो काले कानून वापस लेने चाहिए। pic.twitter.com/TWFpi47vCW
The protest has been going on for 21 weeks now with the intervention of the country's highest court intervening in the deadlock situation.
Hearing a public interest lawsuit, the court has hinted at creating a panel with representatives of the Centre, agitating farmers and farmers from other states as well to come up with a quick resolve to the ongoing situation.
The Centre has welcomed the suggestion of setting up a new panel while farmers have said it won’t offer any way out as they want complete withdrawal of the laws. “Government is continuously speaking with farmers. Yes or no is not the end of any agitation...Govt is willing to give in writing that we’ll continue to buy at MSP. Farmers can sell produce inside as well as outside APMC markets,” agriculture minister of state Kailash Choudhary said.
देश का किसान आज प्रधानमंत्री मोदी के साथ खड़ा है। नए कृषि क़ानूनों से देश के किसानों को आत्मनिर्भरता मिलेगी और देश आत्मनिर्भर होगा। स्वामीनाथन आयोग में जो सिफारिशें दी गई थी वे सब सिफारिशें इस क़ानून में शामिल हैं: केंद्रीय कृषि राज्य मंत्री कैलाश चौधरी pic.twitter.com/K2qXQZmdY0
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) December 16, 2020
Due to the cold there have been reports of farmers dying.
According to a recent report 11 farmers had died in just over a 2 week period. There is a spike in the number as two road accidents resulted in the lives of four farmers from Punjab being lost.
On Wednesday, hundreds of women, including many widows of farmers were believed to have committed suicide due to moneys owing and joined the protest at Tikri border.
Photo courtesy of Quint.com