Reach out to distressed farmers, Congress urges Uttar Pradesh CM

After a 60-year-old farmer from Jhansi allegedly killed himself due to stress after unseasonal rains destroyed his paddy crops, the deceased’s family demanded financial assistance, and the Opposition parties demanded an on-ground survey of crop damage, waiver to the affected farmers, as rains caused flooding in fields, ruining the ready-to-harvest crops in several areas.

Kamlesh Yadav, a resident of Kumharar village in Jhansi district, was found hanging in his room on October 31. The family said the deceased, a marginal farmer, had sown crops on loan.

“My father was frustrated by the recent rains that destroyed his crops and he hanged himself in an extremely tragic and disturbing incident,” said the farmer’s son. He added, “my sister’s engagement was just 15 days away, but before that, my father, frustrated with helplessness, took this extreme step. Crop losses and the pressure of debt had broken him from within”.

‘Policy failure’

The opposition Congress, while demanding a State-wide survey of crop damage by the Agriculture department, said death of every farmer was a collective responsibility and a policy failure.

“Unseasonal rains and cyclonic storm damaged crops of millions of farmers. The farmer does not want to commit suicide. He wants to live. But when his crops, his land and his hard work all get destroyed, the silence of the government kills him. I demand from the government to provide an assistance of ₹50 lakh to the farmer who died due to stress of crop damage. I got to know, apart from Kamlesh Ji from Jhansi, one other farmer in Mahoba also died. Immediate financial assistance should be given to all the affected farmers after an on-ground survey of crop damage by the Agriculture department,” said Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai.

Mr. Rai, on Saturday (November 1, 2025) wrote a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, demanding immediate assistance for farmers and detailing both the incidents. “Farming community needs assistance amid the crisis. Our party always stands with the farmers. Both the incident highlights failure of the government system,” he added.

Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies can seek help and counselling by calling: Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health, telephone: 011-40769002