Maharashtra farmer Dharma Patil's death: Congress says BJP govt 'wants human sacrifice'

Aurangabad: The Congress on Tuesday lashed out at the BJP-led Maharashtra government over the suicide of an 84-year-old farmer seeking better compensation for his acquired land.

“This government wants human sacrifice…It does not want to do justice until one kills himself,” Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said at the party convention in Aurangabad.

Vikhe Patil was referring to the suicide committed by Dhule farmer Dharma Patil, who drank a poisonous substance at the Mantralaya in Mumbai on 22 January. He died on Sunday night.

The Opposition leader said not a single faction of the society is happy with the BJP government.

“Farmers, peasants, businessmen are all dissatisfied with the functioning of the government. They do not want to give justice to the common man. It seems the government wakes up only after a Dharma Patil kills himself,” he said.

Vikhe Patil claimed that apart from farmers, businessmen have started killing themselves due to government’s policies.

“Recently, one Manish Mehta from Mumbai ended his life due to business recession. The situation in Maharashtra and elsewhere is grim. Congress workers should visit each and every hamlet and make people aware about the failure of the present government,” he said.

Vikhe Patil said Rahul Gandhi had elaborated various problems plaguing the country after he assumed a new role as the party president.

“This has paved the way for the party to struggle and go ahead. The youth of the country are very happy after Gandhi took the charge of the party chief,” the Congress leader said.