Both Houses in Maharashtra legislature adjourned over farmer’s death

MUMBAI: The death of

Nanded farmer Madhav Kadam

, who had attempted suicide by consuming poison outside

Mantralaya

on March 23, rocked the

state legislature

on Monday. Both Houses were adjourned several times over the issue. While

Opposition

leaders moved an adjournment notice, Shiv Sena MLA from Nanded south Hemant Patil said, “In December too, Kadam, a Sena activist, had attempted suicide. It is shameful for me that I am an MLA from the ruling party.” Patil claimed that the drought alleviating measures are not being properly implemented. Opposition members stood in the well of the House demanding a case be filed under IPC Section 302 (murder). When speaker Haribhau Bagade said the incident, though unfortunate, could not become an issue for adjournment, the Opposition demanded that the House offers condolence. When Bagade pointed out that the motion will have to be jointly moved by the ruling and Opposition parties, the latter staged a walkout. In the Upper House, Opposition leader Dhananjay Munde also tabled an adjournment motion and sought a case be filed against the government for causing his death. “The farmer had been meeting ministers and officials to claim

compensation

, to no avail. The government’s apathy drove him to kill himself,” said Munde. Replying in the House, revenue minister Eknath Khadse said the farmer owned just over a hectare in Loha village, Nanded and had been given a compensation of Rs 4,624 in January after it was confirmed that 33% of his land was affected on account of deficit rainfall.
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