Punjab: Farmers commit suicide, upset with the attitude of the Resham government

Punjab: An eerie mourning descended on the border village of Pahuwind in Tarn Taran district after its resident Resham Singh (52) committed suicide by consuming poisonous substance during the farmers’ protest in Shambhu. Resham had reportedly taken a loan of Rs 8 lakh from banks and a cooperative society. He had around 2.5 acres of land but had to sell it to pay off the dues. Currently, he was running a small dairy in the village and making a living by selling milk. In the morning, news spread that he had consumed some poisonous substance and his condition was critical.

As soon as the news of his death spread, people of the village started arriving at his house to condole. Resham’s son Inderjit Singh, who works as a sevadar at a gurdwara in Hoshiarpur, said that his father took his own life to express his displeasure against the government’s indifferent attitude towards the genuine demands of the farmers. After hearing the news, he returned home with his wife Rupinder Kaur and son. According to information, Resham was an activist of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti, Punjab, and had also participated in the 2020 Kisan Morcha. Villager Dilbagh Singh said, “Resham was depressed over the deadlock between farmers and the Centre.” Farmer leader Navtej Singh said Resham had gone to Shambhu on January 6. “Earlier too he had joined the Morcha three times. Only God knows what heavy burden was on his mind this time,” he said.