"37,248 people have committed suicides in Gujarat over last ten years. Everyday, 10 persons take their lives, out of which 6 are male and 4 female," according to a book 'End of Lives: Rise in The Suicide in the so-called Developed Society, Why?', released here today.
State Congress leaders claimed that the book is compilation of statistics gathered through RTI applications throughout the state and is a "comprehensive exercise carried out by Congress party".
"The information we have provided has exposed tall claims of the chief minister who is very loudly claiming an unprecedented growth and widespread development of the state," Gujarat unit Congress president Arjun Modhwadia said after releasing the book at a press conference.
"We have applied to each and every district police commissionarate of the state and after patience and persistence of more the 14 months what we have received was not only shocking but is beyond our realms of imagination," he alleged.
The data collected was analysed and interpreted by sociologists Dr Vidhyut Joshi, Dr Edvin Masihi, Dr Gaurang Jani and Prof Raxa Doshi and was converted into the book.
"Majority of suicides, around 60 per cent, took place in Saurashtra-Kutch and parts of North Gujarat. Rajkot could be considered as the suicide capital of the state," Modhwadia alleged.
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The data collected also revealed that during last ten years 7,062 farmers have committed suicide in the state.
"For past so many years this government has been snatching away fertile land of farmers under the guise of industrial development which has created frustration and loss amongst farmers," he alleged. (More)