Key Points:
- 767 farmers died by suicide in Maharashtra between January and March 2025, according to official state data.
- Rahul Gandhi accused the central and state governments of indifference and ignoring farmer demands for loan waivers and MSP guarantee.
- Rising costs of seeds, fertilizers, and diesel are pushing farmers deeper into debt, exacerbating the crisis.
- Gandhi highlighted alleged double standards, citing swift loan waivers for industrialists like Anil Ambani, whose companies were recently flagged for massive bank fraud.
- Opposition parties staged walkouts in the Maharashtra Assembly over the government’s response to the crisis.
New Delhi: The agrarian crisis in Maharashtra has escalated sharply, with official figures revealing 767 farmer suicides between January and March 2025. This alarming statistic, disclosed by the state’s Relief and Rehabilitation Department, underscores the deepening distress in India’s agricultural heartland.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, launched a scathing attack on both the central and Maharashtra governments, accusing them of “indifference” and “watching in silence” as hundreds of farming families are shattered. In a widely shared post on X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi wrote,
“Imagine… 767 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra in just 3 months. Is this just a statistic? No. These are 767 ruined homes. 767 families that will never be able to recover. And the government? It is silent. It is watching indifferently.”
Rising Costs, No MSP, Mounting Debt
Gandhi pointed to the spiraling costs of seeds, fertilizers, and diesel, which he said are pushing farmers further into debt every day. He criticized the government for failing to provide a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and for ignoring repeated demands for comprehensive loan waivers.
“Farmers are sinking deeper into debt every day seeds are expensive, fertilizers are expensive, diesel is expensive… but there’s no guarantee of MSP. When they demand loan waivers, they are ignored,” Gandhi stated.
Allegations of Double Standards: Industrialist Loan Waivers
Rahul Gandhi also drew a sharp contrast between the government’s alleged apathy toward struggling farmers and its treatment of wealthy industrialists. He referenced the recent scandal involving Anil Ambani, whose companies were declared “fraud accounts” by State Bank of India for the diversion of thousands of crores in bank loans.
“But those with billions? Their loans are easily waived by the Modi government. Just look at today’s news Anil Ambani’s ₹48,000 crore SBI ‘fraud’,” Gandhi said.
Political Fallout and Assembly Walkouts
The issue has triggered uproar in the Maharashtra Assembly, with opposition members staging walkouts over the government’s handling of farmer suicides and the non-payment of dues to soybean cultivators. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar highlighted that, of the 767 cases, 200 were deemed ineligible for government aid, while 194 remain under investigation.
Historical Context and Ongoing Debate
While the opposition has intensified its criticism, BJP leaders have countered by highlighting the high number of farmer suicides during previous Congress-NCP governments, arguing that the crisis predates the current administration.
Financial Aid and Policy Response
According to state officials, the Maharashtra government provides ₹1 lakh in financial assistance to eligible families of farmers who died by suicide. In the first quarter of 2025, 373 cases were deemed eligible for this aid, and 327 families have already received compensation.
The latest figures and political reactions underscore the urgent need for structural reforms and targeted support for India’s farmers, as the agrarian crisis in Maharashtra continues to claim lives and fuel political confrontation.
