Kaithal: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has warned that if any farmer commits suicide under stress after getting summons or a loan recovery notice from a bank or court, bank officials will be held responsible for his death.

Kaithal: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has warned that if any farmer commits suicide under stress after getting summons or a loan recovery notice from a bank or court, bank officials will be held responsible for his death.

This decision was taken at a meeting presided over by BKU block president Zile Singh in the Kisan Bhawan at Kalayat today. Farmers’ leaders said a debt-ridden farmer commits suicide only when bank staff harass him. So, bank officials would be held responsible for the death of a farmer. Later BKU office-bearers handed over a memorandum, addressed to the Kalayat SDM, to Naib Tehsildar Parkash Chand.

According to information, the BKU has demanded waiver of farmers’ debt and implementation of the Swaminathan commission report so that farmers could get a remunerative price for their produce. They also demanded that on attaining the age of 60, all farmers be paid Rs 5 lakh in one installment and granted pension benefits as given to retired govt employees. Haryana farmers should also be given Rs 5 lakh health card on the Punjab pattern and they should not be forced to take crop insurance.

The BKU demanded that damaged electricity transformers be replaced within 48 hours. It warned that if power board officials raided any farmer’s house having a regular power connection, the BKU could hold them hostage. It urged the authorities concerned to drain out accumulated rainwater from fields so that farmers could plant paddy. Satpal Dillowali, state treasurer, Ram Singh Khurana, district president, Jia Lal, Pardeep Kurar, Krishan Simla and Balwan Kolekhna attended the meeting.