Basavaraj Horatti, pro tem chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council, blamed officials and bureaucrats for their gross negligence that has resulted in farmers continuing to commit suicide. Mr. Horatti, was here to inaugurate Doordarshan’s ‘Madhura Madhuravi Ee Manjula Gana’, on Sunday.
“The recent case of four members of a family committing suicide is tragic. Such incidents occur mainly due to the laxity and negligent attitude of officials and bureaucrats,” he charged.
“The officials should have followed the directions given by Chief Minister and initiated appropriate steps. They could have even briefed the CM about the farmer’s inability to repay the mounting debts and his plight. Had it been done, the CM could have taken alternative decisions that could have saved the lives of four persons,” he lamented. He took bureaucrats to task for not implementing the waiver of farm loans announced by the CM two months ago.
Mr. Horatti took exception to the reported remarks of Horticulture Minister M.C. Manguli on the suicide of the farmer’s family. “The Minister, who is also a farmer, should realise the pain and the plight that drove the farmer to take the extreme step. What Mr. Manguli has said is not right,” he said.