Farmer suicide: Rajasthan govt orders probe, Pilot says deceased peasant was "not under debt"

Jaipur, June 25: With massive loan waiver schemes and promises for farmers coming back to haunt the Congress in Rajasthan, the Ashok Gehlot-led government on Tuesday ordered an inquiry to ascertain reasons behind 45-year-old farmer's suicide in Sri Ganganagar district.

The farmer had, in a suicide note, blamed Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot for having failed to fulfill their promise of waiving off loans within 10 days of coming to power.

The Congress had promised massive loan waiver schemes for farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in the run-up to the assembly elections and went on to win in all the three states.

Reacting to the suicide of farmer, Sohan Lal Meghwal, in Ganganagar district, Pilot told media that Government of Rajasthan is fully committed in securing a better future for the framers in the state.

"Matter is under investigation. Incident is regrettable. From whatever information I have received so far, the person was not actually under debt. Government of Rajasthan is fully committed in securing a better future for the framers in the state," he said.

Meghwal allegedly committed suicide on Sunday leaving behind a note in which he accused Chief Minister Gehlot of not fulfilling its pre-poll promise of waiving bank loans. The farmer had also apparently shot a video on his mobile phone and uploaded it on Facebook.

Meghwal consumed poison and left behind a video on Facebook. "I am killing myself, but I would like to urge the Ashok Gehlot government to take note of farmers' grievances and pay back their dues," he reportedly said in the video.