Plea in SC for probe into hanging of farmer during AAP rally

New Delhi, Apr 26: Days after a farmer from Rajasthan allegedly hanged himself during an Aam Aadmi Party rally here, a PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored judicial probe into the incident that took place in full public view.

The PIL, likely to be listed for hearing during next week, has sought directions to the Centre and state governments to take immediate necessary steps to prevent farmers' suicide and fixation of "adequate compensation" to their dependents in the event of deaths. [Farmer suicide case: AAP did little to save Gajendra Singh]

The plea, filed by advocate G L Mani, has quoted the National Crime Records Bureau statistics and said that 13,574 farmers had committed suicide in 2012.

"According to NCRB, 46 farmers commit suicide every day in India. A total of 2,96,438 farmers committed suicide in India between 1995 and 2013," it said.

It also alleged that "there are so many farmers who are committing suicide every day and neither the central government nor the state governments concerned are taking any steps to prevent" these.

Besides the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the plea has made ministries of Social Justice and Home and Affairs and all states and union territories (UTs) as parties in the case.

The petition has sought a series of directions which include calling for records and details from the central and states governments regarding farmer suicides since 1995.

On April 22, 41-year-old Gajendra Singh, committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in full public view in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at Jantar Mantar here.

PTI