PIL seeks probe into Narendra Modi's speech on farmers' suicide, scams

A Public Interest Litigation has urged the Bombay High Court to order a CBI inquiry into allegations made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally here in run-up to Maharashtra assembly elections earlier this month that 3700 farmers commit suicide every year in the state.

The PIL, filed by social activist Ramesh Joshi, also demanded a CBI probe into allegations made by BJP in its advertisement before the polls that Maharashtra had lost Rs 11,88,000 crore in 102 scams during the 15-year rule of Congress and NCP alliance in the state.

The petition was mentioned today before a bench headed by Justices V M Kanade, which said it would hear it in due course of time.

The petitioner produced a newspaper clipping showing the advertisement put out by BJP. He also cited Modi's speech at a rally in Mumbai on October 4 in which the Prime Minister had reportedly said that every year, on an average, 3700 farmers commit suicide in the Maharashtra.

The petitioner said he had made a complaint to the Prime Minister, Union Government, CBI and other authorities seeking a probe into the allegations. Since he did not get any response from them, he had filed a PIL demanding investigation by the central agency.

The PIL alleged that farmers are committing suicide due to government's apathy towards their issues and requested the HC to direct the state to take necessary steps in this regard.
The petitioner also prayed that those who are responsible for farmers' suicide should be taken to task.

The PIL sought that all the "scams", in which the state had lost crores of rupees, should be probed by CBI which should fix responsibility on the guilty for the alleged crime.