BULDHANA/DEULGAON RAJA: Kailash Arjun Nagare (43), a recipients of Maharashtra government’s 2020 Young Farmer Award, died by suicide by consuming poison on Holi. His body was found at his field in Shivni Armal village on Thursday morning. Nagare had been demanding irrigation water for 14 villages from Khadakpurna reservoir for many years. Last year, he had even staged a 10-day hunger strike for his demands. However, the government’s inaction left him disheartened. A three-page suicide note found in Nagare’s pocket said: “The administration is ignoring farmers’ issues. Do not remove my body until our demands are met.” Nagare was a well-known farmer leader in the region. His death sparked massive unrest in the village, with thousands of farmers raising slogans against the administration. The protesters declared that they will not allow the body to be taken for post-mortem unless the guardian minister or district collector visits the site and gives a concrete assurance. The deceased farmer’s wife, Sushila Nagare, who broke down while speaking to the media, said, “My husband took this step because of the government’s negligence. He fought for farmers’ rights, but the administration did nothing. Had they acted in time, he would still be alive today.” Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal launched a scathing attack on the ruling Mahayuti government and CM Devendra Fadnavis. “This government is busy playing Hindu-Muslim politics while ignoring real farmer issues. Nagare was fighting for farmers’ rights, but instead of addressing his concerns, the government forced him to take his own life.” Buldhana’s Kranti Kisan Sangathan leader Ravikant Tupkar called the incident a direct consequence of government failure. “This is not suicide but a murder due to government’ policies. Instead of supporting farmers, the government is pushing them towards death. We demand that the government be held accountable and booked for murder.” Nagare is survived by his father, wife, and three children.
