Indicating the extent of the ferment among agriculturists in the state, Dhanaji Chandrakant Jadhav, an indebted marginal farmer from Solapur committed suicide and sought that his remains not be cremated until Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrived there.
This led to protests by residents who blocked roads and called for a bandh in Karmala Taluka on Thursday. Eventually, the situation was defused when Minister of State for Public Health Vijaykumar Deshmukh, who is also Solapur's guardian minister, ensured that Fadnavis spoke to the deceased's relatives on the phone.
Apart from a Rs 1 lakh compensation, which will be granted immediately to Jadhav's family, the state government will give them more financial aid and sponsor the education of his two children.
"Till the time CM Fadnavis does not arrive, do not cremate me," said 45-year-old Jadhav in the two-page suicide note recovered from his pocket. Jadhav, a resident of Vit village located around 10 km from Karmala, hung himself from a tree on Wednesday night.
Later, his relatives and residents refused to take his body into custody from Karmala Cottage Hospital, and demanded that Fadnavis or Deshmukh come visit.
Agriculturists across Maharashtra have launched a strike from June 1 to seek loan waivers and remunerative pricing for milk and agricultural produce. There has been no let up in the protests despite the Fadnavis-led government promising the largest-ever loan waiver in the state for deserving farmers by October 31. This has affected the supply of milk and vegetables to cities and towns.
"I visited the hospital along with Zilla Parishad chief Sanjaymama Shinde and former MLA Jaywantrao Jagtap and told protestors that the CM has promised to waive off loans on marginal farmers," Deshmukh said.
He added that Jadhav, who owns a two-acre plot, and was a tractor driver, had an outstanding loan of Rs 75,000 from a nationalised bank, which would be waived off.
"I called the CM and his (the deceased's) cousin Dr Vijay Jadhav spoke to him. The CM assured him of aid from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and aid for the education of his two children. The government will increase procurement prices for agricultural produce and milk. It is necessary to trust it," said Deshmukh, adding that this led to tempers cooling down after which the autopsy and cremation was conducted.
"Some sugar factories are also willing to sponsor the education of his children," he said.
Solapur district collector RB Bhosale said they had immediately released the Rs 1 lakh aid to Jadhav's family and would send a proposal to the CMO for aid. He added that the repayment of the loan was due in June.
An official from Karmala police station said Jadhav is survived by his wife and two sons, one of whom was in Class 12, and the other in Class 9. "Jadhav was not part of any political party, but was following reports of the farmers strike across the Maharashtra," he added.
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 "Dhanaji Chandrakant Jadhav")
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