Dalit farmer puts it down to debts

​Hyderabad: M Saidulu, the 24-year-old Dalit farmer, who tried to kill self by consuming pesticide on Tuesday at the Chief Minister’s camp office in Hyderabad, claimed that he had a debt of Rs 9 lakh, which he couldn’t repay and hence attempted suicide.

On Tuesday, Saidulu sought an appointment of the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to share his ordeal. However, as he was denied permission to meet the CM, he consumed the pesticide he was carrying along.

The alert security staff promptly rushed Saidulu to the State-run Gandhi hospital, where he availed treatment until Wednesday noon.

Speaking to The Hans India at the Gandhi Hospital, he said, “I have around Rs 9 lakh debts. I thought I would clear after selling the produce. However, due to insufficient water, the yield was not on the expected lines and I had to feed it to cattle.”

Saidulu, a tenant farmer from Gumpula Tirumalagiri village of Suryapet district, informed thataround nine years ago, his grandfather Nagaiah too committed suicide by setting himself on fire, unable to repay Rs 2 lakh loan. 

Saidulu had come to Hyderabad determined that he would either meet the CM or die at his office.Before leaving for Hyderabad, he borrowed Rs 5,000 from a money lender. Certain that he might kill himself if denied permission to meet the CM, he gave Rs 3,000 out of the borrowed money to his parents.

In a meek voice blaming the government for not giving lands to Dalits, he lamented, “I am carrying TRS flag for thelast11 years, still I did not get anything, not even the three acres that was promised to Dalits.” He further informed that he had bought a tractor to make out a living besides farming. However, due to demonetisation, he couldn’t get enough work and as a result, he couldn’t pay monthly installments.  

“With the financial assistance from a bank, I bought a tractor just one day prior to demonetisation. But the note ban has resulted in zero employment opportunity and the payments I was supposed to get those too were delayed. 

Hence, I couldn’t pay the installment money on time,” he said, adding that he had received notices from bank, which has threatened of seizing his vehicle,which was the only way he could make out a living after his crops failed. 

“I am now relying only on tractor to repay my debts and make a living. How will I survive without any other means? To share my plight, I had come to meet the CM. However, as I was not allowed to meet him, I was left with no option except to kill myself,” Saidulu said.   

In an appeal to the government, he said, “I am not asking to waive off my debts, I am only asking to give a five years time to clear my debts.” After ascertaining that Saidulu was out of danger, the doctors discharged him on Wednesday.