The Congress party on Wednesday called for Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to sack his Agriculture Minister O.P. Dhankar after the latter remarked that 'farmers who commit suicide are cowards'.
"Terming those farmers and farm labourers who have been forced to resort to suicide as 'cowards', especially since they have been forced to that measure through the Bharatiya Janata Party's draconic laws, shows that the present government has no regard for the farmer," Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Dr Ashok Tanwar told ANI.
I believe that the Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar should clarify Dhankar's remarks. He should either demand his resignation or he should be sacked. This only proves that not only does the BJP have no control over its party members, but that the party members themselves also have no control over their tongues," he added.
Congress leader Meem Afzal said that the Haryana government should ensure that the state's farmers are provided relief.
"The Haryana government is on one hand distributing laptops to its MPs and increasing their car loan allowances, and on the other hand is making such controversial remarks. The MPs should get these facilities, but at the same time, farmers too should get relief."
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh called for Dhankar to be boycotted.
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"Such a person should be publically boycotted by farmers and farm labourers," Digvijay Singh told the media.
Dhankar had made his controversial comment on Tuesday, and said those ending their lives did not deserve the government's support.
"Suicide is a crime. According to Indian law, suicide is a crime. A person who commits suicide runs away from his responsibilities. Such people are cowards and the government cannot stand by such cowards or criminals," he said.