Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar has once again landed in controversy after his remarks on farmers ending their lives. The Sillod MP said farmers’ suicide is not a new issue and farmers have been committing suicide for many years.

While speaking to the reporter’s query about farmers’ suicide in his constituency, the Shiv Sena leader said the issue of farmer suicide is not new. Such incidents are happening for many years.

Sattar’s remarks came after his tour of the unseasonal rainfall-affected regions in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, his home district. He said suicides by farmers should not take place anywhere in Maharashtra but whatever damage has been done it’s done.

Sattar further said that he has told the Agriculture department officials and tehsildar to carry out the punchnama at the earliest. Sattar stated that it will ensure that no farmer is kept out of the crop damage relief. The final reports haven’t been submitted yet and any damage done will be incorporated in the final report, he added.

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According to the reports, at least two farmers committed suicide in his constituency, Sillod, in the Aurangabad district between March 3 and 12. Further, the police officials also claimed at least six agriculturists had ended their lives in Aurangabad district in the Marathwada region during the same period, prima facie due to indebtedness.

The Shiv Sena leader further said the state government has taken numerous initiatives for farmers. The government is giving them crop insurance for just one rupee, he added. In its maiden Budget tabled on March 9, the Eknath Shinde-BJP government has proposed a Rs 6,000 assistance to farmers and Re 1 crop insurance scheme.

This is not the first time Sattar has courted controversy due to his statements. Earlier, he used abusive words to describe MP and NCP leader Supriya Sule. His comments led to widespread protests from across political parties including the Congress and Shiv Sena.

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