Karnataka's Rising Farmer Suicides: BJP's Critique of Congress Government
BJP Leader Criticizes Congress Over Farmer Suicides
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Bengaluru, May 8: R. Ashoka, a senior member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, has sharply criticized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress administration regarding the alarming rise in farmer suicides in the state. He accused the government of engaging in “guarantee politics over the bodies of farmers.”
Ashoka raised concerns about the reported 22.61 percent increase in farmer suicides in Karnataka, questioning whether the jump from 2,423 to 2,971 suicides within a year indicated a failure in the state government's management.
He claimed that the Congress government's policies detrimental to farmers were highlighted in the recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, pointing out that while suicides increased in Karnataka, other states experienced a decline.
In his remarks, Ashoka suggested that Siddaramaiah was more focused on potential directives from party leadership and rumors of a leadership change rather than addressing the pressing issues faced by farmers.
He further asserted that Karnataka's position as the second-highest state for farmer deaths was indicative of the Congress government's ineffective governance.
The BJP leader accused the state administration of squandering large sums on advertisements promoting guarantee schemes while farmers faced dire circumstances due to crop failures, escalating debts, rising electricity tariffs, and water shortages.
“Farmers are not receiving fair prices for their produce, nor are their lives valued. Is this what you call a people-friendly government?” he questioned.
Ashoka cautioned that a political strategy built on the suffering of farmers would not endure, asserting that no guarantee scheme could protect the Congress government from the “curse of farmers.”
According to the NCRB's 'Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India' report for 2024, released on May 7, 2026, a total of 10,546 farmers and agricultural workers died by suicide, reflecting a slight 2.22 percent decrease from 10,786 in 2023. While the national figures declined, Karnataka witnessed a significant 22.6 percent rise in such incidents.
Maharashtra reported the highest number of suicides (3,824), followed by Karnataka (2,971), Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.