After farmer-son suicide, Punjab to probe reason for delay in extending debt waiver

After the suicide of two indebted farmers in the village of Mohadipur in Hoshiarpur, the government of Punjab ordered a time-limited investigation to find out why the cooperative society did not cancel the debt. The sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Dasuya, was invited by the deputy commissioner of Hoshiarpur to conduct an investigation to determine why the co-operative company concerned did not renounce its loan under the “ waiver of the loan ” program. debt ” of the government of Punjab in 2017.

On Friday evening, farmers Jagtar Singh Bajwa (70 years old), remained a sarpanch of his village unanimously for 20 years and currently numberdar (second chief) of the village, and his son, Kirpal Singh Bajwa (40 years), were suicides. . While his son owned an acre of land, his father owned 7 kannals (one to 8 kannal acre of land). Both had taken individual loans from Usman Shaeed Village Multipurpose Cooperative Society and their loan amounts were Rs. 1.67 lakh each.

Although the son’s case was cleared for waiver last year, he was not made aware of the same and the father’s file was not cleared due to a discrepancy in his documentation.

Sources within the district administration said that while both appear to be eligible for the scheme due to their loan and land ownership, it is now being investigated what led to the delay. Deputy Commissioner Nawanshahr Dr Shena Aggarwal, who holds the additional office as DC Hoshiarpur, said the investigation report is expected to be submitted within a month.

The deceased’s house

The government debt relief scheme is applicable to all small farmers with less than five acres of land and having a loan of up to Rs. 2 lakh from cooperative societies as of March 31, 2017.

Usman Shaheed Co-operative Society Secretary Amrit Singh told the Indian Express that the debt waiver case against the notice sent to Kirpal Singh had already been settled by the government in “September-October of the last year ”, but he was not aware that the same was informed at Kirpal then or not.

Kirpal and Jagtar regularly participated in the ongoing farmers’ protest and, in their separate suicide notes, they blamed the Narendra Modi Central government for this extreme measure, while also pointing out that the Punjab congressional government did not renounced their debt when he had one. acre every land.

Dilapidated condition of part of the deceased’s house

We learn that the son committed suicide first, unable to bear what the father committed suicide.

Sources from Dasuya Civil Hospital said there was a discrepancy in their deaths, meaning the two committed suicide at different times on Friday night.