Justifying his 'love affairs for farmers suicides' remark, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Friday hit back at Janata Dal (United) leader K.C. Tyagi and said that the latter must be speaking according to his knowledge.
Singh said that he made the statement based on the information provided by the National Crime Records Bureau.
"He (K.C. Tyagi) will speak according to his knowledge. There is National Crime Records Bureau. We consider the statistics, which it provides. I get the records or facts from the National Crime Records Bureau and the Central Government. If someone raises question from our department then we put those facts," he told the media.
The JD (U) leader had earlier accused the Agriculture Minister of trying to mislead the Rajya Sabha and said that his party would file a notice of Privilege Motion against Singh.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Singh had said that love affairs or impotency was the cause of death of more than 1,400 farmers in India this year.
"According to the National Crime Records Bureau, causes of (farmer) suicides include family problems, illness, drugs... dowry, love affairs and impotency," he said.
The Agriculture Minister, however, did not rule out debt as one of the reasons.