Farmers Movement Archive

‘If you don’t have record of 700 people…’: Mallikarjun Kharge’s question to Centre on no data of farmer deaths

Referring to the Centre’s claim about not having data on farmer deaths during the agitation, Rajya Sabha leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge called the same “farmers’ insult.” “More than 700 farmers lost their lives during protests against three farm laws. How can [the] Centre say they don’t have any record of it?” he told news agency ANI.The Congress leader also wondered how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre collected data of lakhs of people during the Covid-19 pandemic if they don’t have a record of 700 people.“Over 50 lakh people lost their lives due to Covid-19 in the last two years, but according to [the] government, only four lakh people died due to the virus,” Kharge was quoted as saying by ANI."If Govt doesn't have a record of 700 people then how they had collected data of lakhs of people during pandemic. Over 50 lakh people lost their lives due to #COVID19 in the last 2 years but according to govt, only 4 lakh people died due to the virus," Mallikarjun Kharge addedHis remarks come after Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar informed Parliament earlier in the day that the Centre doesn’t possess any record of farmers, who lost their lives during the year-long stir against the three contentious farm laws.“The ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare has no record in the matter and hence the question does not arise,” Tomar told the House when asked if the Centre plans to render financial compensation to the next of kin of farmers who died during the agitation.Opposition leaders as well as protesting farmer unions have consistently maintained that a total of 700 farmers died during the protest. On Tuesday, Congress leader Manish Tiwari moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha urging the Centre to “create a record of farmers who lost their lives during farm laws’ protest and give compensation to their families,” according to ANI.Also Read | Release correct data on Covid deaths, give ₹4 lakh as compensation: Rahul GandhiNotably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on November 19 about his government’s decision to roll back all the three farm laws. Five days later on November 24, the Union cabinet gave its nod to the Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021.However, Congress leaders have been unhappy despite the revocation of the farm laws, alleging that they have not been allowed to discuss the matter during the ongoing winter session of the Parliament that commenced on November 29.“The way they (farm laws) were repealed, without discussion in the Parliament…shows that the government…knows they have done wrong. And that the government is scared,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said.He added that the Congress party wanted to discuss the minimum support price (MSP) issue, the deaths of 700 farmers during the stir, and the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.Meanwhile, the Centre has reached out to Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) for the names of five people, who could represent the farmers on a panel proposed by PM Modi to look into MSP and other issues. In a statement, the SKM said that it will take a decision regarding the five names and other matters at a meeting on December 4.

Hindustan Times

01-12-2021

India