‘No record of farmers’ death during protests’: Govt informs Parliament, says no plans for compensation

The government has no record of the farmers who had died during the year-long farmers’ protests and hence there was no question of providing compensation to their families, the Union government informed Parliament on Wednesday.

“The ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare has no record in the matter and hence the question does not arise,” the Union ministry of agriculture told the House in reply to a question asking if the Centre intends to provide financial assistance to the families of those who died during the protests.

Leaders from the Opposition and the protesting farmer unions have said that as many as 700 farmers lost their lives during the demonstrations at Delhi’s borders against the Centre’s three contentious laws, repealed by the government on Monday after passing the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021. The Opposition had criticised the Centre for passing the bill in both houses without any discussion.

Meanwhile, the government’s statement on having no record of data about the farmers’ death is also likely to be criticised by the opposition.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress leader Manish Tewari moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha requesting “to direct the government to create a record of farmers who lost their lives during farm laws protest and give compensation to their families” and called it a matter of “urgent importance” according to a report by ANI.

“During the course of the agitation, many farmers lost their lives to the harsh weather, alleged use of force by the state and violent attacks on farmers lives notably the incident that happened in Lakhimpur Kheri where farmers were allegedly run over by fast moving vehicles,” he said in his letter to the Secretary-General of the Lower House. “The government should create a record of farmers who lost their lives protesting the farm laws and give compensation to their families. Sir, I wish to raise this grave matter of disregard of lives of farmers by the government,” he added. He had also moved a similar adjournment motion on Monday.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions spearheading the protests, is also demanding compensation for farmers who died during the protests, along with a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP).