Photo Source; Babushahi Bureau
767 farmers' suicides in 3 months: Speaker Sandhwan slams systemic failure, demands urgent action
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, July 3, 2025: In a scathing indictment of the country's agrarian crisis, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Thursday expressed deep anguish over the alarming number of 767 farmer suicides reported in Maharashtra within just three months — an average of nearly eight deaths every single day.Calling it a “tragic reflection of systemic collapse”, Sandhwan said,
“This is not merely the suicide of our Annadata (food provider); it is the suicide of our collective conscience and failure of governance at every level.”
The Speaker revealed that only 376 of the affected families have received any government assistance, while the rest continue to suffer in silence even after the irreparable loss of their loved ones.
“The same people who once promised to double farmers’ income are now failing to protect their lives. What could be more shameful?” he asked.
Highlighting the government's lack of transparency, Sandhwan said the Union Government has failed to provide accurate data on farmer suicides, raising serious concerns about its intent to address the deepening crisis.
He urged both the Government of Maharashtra and the Centre to immediately step in with financial aid for the bereaved families and to rethink the current agricultural model, which he said is pushing farmers toward despair instead of prosperity.
“This is a humanitarian emergency,” Sandhwan stated. “We need urgent reforms, debt relief, and a safety net for farmers. Mere slogans won't bring back the lives lost.”
His remarks come at a time when farmer unrest and agrarian distress continue to dominate headlines, while policy responses remain inadequate and scattered.