Pramila Mallick, the president of the women's wing of Odisha's ruling BJD, on Sunday created a row over farmer suicides when she asked the opposition to serve 'amar laddoo' (immortality sweets) to people so that they would not die henceforth.
Her remark came after the opposition alleged that the state government was sitting pretty even as farmers were committing suicide in the state due to crop loss and loan burden.
Mallick, who is also a ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator, slammed the opposition and the media for terming the death of any person as a "farmer suicide".
She said the opposition should serve 'amar laddoo' to farmers so that they would never die.
Mallick rubbished the farmer suicide issue as "wild allegation" conjured up by the opposition.
"Let the opposition prove farmer suicide cases in my area if they have the guts. Let the media, which has published the news, come with me and show me where such cases have taken place in my area," she dared.
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The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress took potshots at the BJD for being insensitive to the plight of farmers in the state.
BJP national secretary Suresh Pujari said the "arrogant" BJD's "doomsday was imminent".
Congress leader Pradeep Majhi said that while farmers were committing suicide, such a comment by a ruling party leader was "unfortunate".