The Hindu Business Line : AP orders judicial probe into suicides

THE State Government has decided to constitute an Agriculture Commission to study the agrarian crisis facing the State, while agreeing to the Opposition demand for a judicial enquiry into the issue of farmer's suicides during the last nine years.

Making the announcement in the State Assembly, the Chief Minster, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said the Commission would include experts and representatives of farmers' organisations, who would not only study the crisis, but suggest measures to overcome it.

Responding to the serious criticism levelled by the leader of the opposition, Mr Chandrababu Naidu, during the debate on budgetary demands for the Agriculture Department, the Chief Minister said, "I want to put an end to the blame game and claims over the number of suicides and offered the choice of either a House Committee or a judicial enquire to probe to Mr Naidu."

Countering Mr Naidu's claims he said the policies of the Telugu Desam Government were to be blamed for the farmers' plight today.

"Was giving free power and waiving dues to the tune of Rs 1,300 crore responsible for suicides or your commitment to complete irrigation projects worth Rs 47,000?," he questioned.

Preferring a judicial enquiry, the former Chief Minister, Mr Chandrababu Naidu, alleged that 704 farmers had committed suicide since the new Government came to power in May.

The terms of reference for the judicial enquiry would also include, how much the TDP Government was responsible, the Chief Minster said.

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