In the past 15 months since the Congress government took power in Karnataka almost 1,182 farmers have committed suicide. This tragic number of farmer suicides in Karnataka highlights the severe distress among farmers in the state. Despite the magnitude of this crisis it has not received much attention than it should have received by the Karnataka government.
The Missing Voices
Why has this issue of Farmers suicide in Karnataka remained silent? Just a few years ago farmer distress and protests became a global issue. The loud and influential voices both online and offline that raised awareness about farmer issues have now gone silent about the suicides in Karnataka.
In Congress ruled Karnataka, more than 1200 farmers have committed suicide due to poverty and Rahul Gandhi is doing meetings with those alleged farmers who drive Mercedes and spend most time at Delhi border.. pic.twitter.com/TPp3uuJcah
— 💪🎭..Rai ji..💪🎭 (@Vinod_r108) July 29, 2024
The severe drought in Karnataka is a significant factor in these farmers suicide in Karnataka. Last year agrarian distress was a major election issue. The Congress party which now governs the state campaigned strongly on this issue. The party president from Karnataka has not addressed these Farmer suicides in Karnataka.
Political Double Standards
These numbers are not just from any source. They are government figures from Karnataka. The farmers who were once the focus of political promises are now in their graves as they have been forgotten after the elections.
India Today broke this story. Reporter Sagar Raj exposed the political double standards over farmers. The opposition is very vocal against the central government but when it comes to the dead farmers of Karnataka they are silent.
Recently Congress leaders met with farmers from Punjab. Yet they have not mentioned the farmer suicides in Karnataka and they have not spoken about the 200 farmers arrested for protesting land acquisition in Devanahalli.
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The Need for Consistency
The opposition claimed to champion the agrarian cause but it has ignored the dead farmers of Karnataka. This silence shows selective solidarity and creates hypocrisy. It is good for the opposition to stand with farmers on issues of principle but it must be consistent in its advocacy. Farmer welfare should be a priority across all states regardless of which party governs them.
The silence on Karnataka’s crisis suggests a political strategy. It aims to capitalize on the central government’s perceived failures while ignoring similar issues in states they govern. Voters see the double standards in political advocacy. If a party wants to regain the trust of the agrarian community, it must address farmer issues uniformly and sincerely. Right now, 1,200 Karnataka farmers lie alone and abandoned in the ground forgotten by those who once promised to fight for them.
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