Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V. Muraleedharan has squarely blamed the State government for the death of Rajeev, a paddy farmer, at Niranom. He has lambasted both the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] and the Congress for their alleged double-standards towards the farming community.
Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, Mr. Muraleedharan said the government’s apathy and lapses in implementing Central schemes had affected farmers in Kerala. He claimed that 375 farmers had committed suicide in the State in 2020, while 128 ended their lives the previous year.
“The government has failed to deliver the benefits of the schemes, including crop insurance, to the farmers. The delay in sanctioning the State’s share for the schemes has hindered its implementation. Very few have been able to enroll for such benefits in the State,” he said.
The Minister accused the government of failing to appoint agriculture officers in many places, including Kuttanad, and utilise funds sanctioned by the Centre to prevent crop raids by wild animals. The issue has exposed the hypocritical stance of the Left Democratic Front and the Congress whose leaders had taken up the cudgels for farmers in faraway places such as Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Muraleedharan alleged.
