Kolkata: Alleging that incidents of farmers
committing suicide in West Bengal are on the rise, the CPI(M)
Thursday demanded that "proper compensation" be given to their
families.
"Altogether 32 farmers committed suicide in the state.
The situation is grave, peasants can't sell paddy. They are
not getting work. The incidents of farmers committing suicide
in the state are on the rise," CPI(M) central committee member
Shymal Chakrabarty said.
Briefing the media on the second day of the 23rd state
conference of the party, he demanded that families of farmers
who committed suicide be given "proper compensation".
When pointed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had
denied reports of a rise in farmers' suicide in the state, he
said, "We challenge the government. She is not telling the
truth."
Banerjee had earlier denied the reports and accused the
CPI(M) of spreading canards against her government.
The CPI(M) leader also said that arrangements should be
made to purchase paddy directly from farmers in cash, as was
done during the previous Left Front rule, and crop insurance
be introduced, among other measures to help them.
Alleging that CPI(M) leaders and workers had become
victims of terror across the state, he said, "63 CPI(M)
members have been killed and there have been various instances
of party leaders and workers being implicated in false cases.
This is being done to suppress our party."
To a question, the CPI(M) leader reiterated that the
policy of industrialisation of the state adopted by the
previous Left Front government was correct, but admitted that
in some cases, like Singur, land acquisition was made in haste
without proper discussion with farmers.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 16, 2012, 17:54