The government has said that it has no record or any data of the farmers, who had died during the year-long farmers’ agitation against three contentious farm laws, and hence there was no question of providing financial assistance to anyone, reported IANS.
“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.
Among other questions, the MPs had asked about the number of cases registered against farmers in connection with the agitation, the data on the number of farmers who died during the agitation held in and around the National Capital, and whether the government proposed to provide financial assistance to the kin of farmers who died during the protest.
However, the ministry replied saying that it has no record on the matter, therefore the question of compensation did not arise.
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700 farmers lost their lives during the demonstrations at Delhi’s borders against the Centre’s three contentious laws, repealed by the government on Monday after passing the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021.
READ ALSO: Bill Passed in Parliament To Scrap Farm Laws.
The Opposition had criticised the Centre for passing the bill in both houses without any discussion.
The government’s statement on having no record of data about the farmers’ death is also likely to be criticised by the opposition.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha that has spearheaded the agitation has claimed that about 700 farmers have lost their lives during the agitation since last year.
Reacting to the government’s reply, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge called it an insult to farmers.
“More than 700 farmers lost their lives during protests against the three farm laws. How can Centre say that they don’t have any record of it,” Kharge said, according to news agency ANI.