Villagers in Kallha paid tribute on Sunday to 33-year-old farmer Dilawar Singh, who shot himself with his licensed pistol on May 8. The gathering, led by village sarpanch Baldev Singh, included former MLA Ramanjit Singh Sikki, Akali leader Avtar Singh Billa, Chacha Sukhchain Singh of Wars Punjab De, Prof. Harpreet Singh Kot from the Aam Aadmi Party, Baba Baldev Singh of Kar Sewa Samprada Khadoor Sahib, Manjit Singh Kang, Parwinder Singh and others.
Speakers said Punjab’s Green Revolution, while lifting the country out of a food crisis, has also created problems for farmers that contribute to suicides and mounting debt. “The Green Revolution helped the nation, but it is proving responsible for farmers taking their own lives,” one speaker said.
Dilawar Singh, who devoted his life to farming, owned eight acres and cultivated a total of 36 acres on share-rent. He gradually accumulated debts totalling Rs 92 lakh, which speakers said left him unable to live comfortably and led to his suicide. He is survived by his widow, mother and two young sons.
Those at the gathering demanded that the only way to save farmers is a broad loan waiver, and urged all sections of society to press governments to implement such relief.
