BHOPAL: Three persons in Sehore district committed suicide under the influence of `bhoot aur pret (ghosts and spirits)’. This is the official explanation given by the Madhya Pradesh home department on Wednesday in reply to a question raised in the state assembly by Congress MLA from Ichawar constituency Shailendra Patel.
Congress had asked for the exact number of suicides that have taken place in Sehore district between January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016. The matter came-up for discussion during the Question Hour on Wednesday when Shailendra Patel told the Speaker that the home department has given a reply where it claims `ghosts’ are abetting suicides. As Congress opposition sniggered, the ruling BJP became red-faced. Patel told Speaker Sitasharan Sharma, "Does the government believe in ghosts and phantoms? This needs an explanation."
Home minister Bhupendra Singh explained to the House, "There have been a total 418 suicides in Sehore over the past three years. In reply to the legislator’s question, we have provided the number with details of victims and the reason quoted by family members for the suicide. Alongside every victim’s name, we have mentioned only whatever the family has said."
Shailendra Patel contended that out of the 418 suicides, the home department did not recognise even a single victim as a farmer who took his life after his crops failed. "I am the legislator from the district and have attended last rites of many of these persons. There is Hari Om Parmar and Gajraj Singh and many others who are farmers having committed suicide after heavy losses from agriculture. Hari Om Parmar committed suicide after his `chana (gram)’ crops were destroyed. Every second day there is a suicide in Sehore and the government is seeing ghosts."
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