Farmer Suicides Highlight Deepening Agrarian Crisis in Punjab: Randhawa

Chandigarh, March 23, 2026: Former Deputy Chief Minister and Member of Parliament Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa expressed deep concern over the deteriorating condition of farmers in Punjab. He also expressed profound sorrow over the death of two real brothers who died by suicide due to their inability to repay loans. He demanded action against the concerned bank officials.
He said that the condition of farmers in Punjab is going from bad to worse, and their grievances are not being heard. Farmers have not received Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops to date, and flood compensation is out of the question. When farmers take to the streets to demand their rights, the Punjab government responds with lathi charges and tear gas.
Randhawa stated that Punjab’s farmers are the backbone not only of the state but of the entire nation, as they feed the country. Despite this, they are being neglected. They are not getting fair prices for their crops, forcing them to incur losses. To protect their crops and sustain their households, they are compelled to take loans at high interest rates. When they are unable to repay, banks allegedly harass them, pushing them toward extreme steps like suicide.
According to NCRB data, an average of 11,000 farmers die by suicide annually across the country. Between 2014 and 2023, around 112,000 farmers lost their lives due to various reasons. Some died due to debt, while others succumbed to losses in farming. Media reports suggest that about 150 farmers died by suicide in Punjab in 2023.
In the Faridkot case, the two brothers had taken a loan of ₹25 lakh for farming. Due to their inability to repay installments, the amount reportedly doubled to ₹50 lakh with interest. Distressed by this burden, they chose to end their lives. Randhawa said the government should have intervened and helped them repay the loan. He also referred to the claim made by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal that no farmer would die by suicide after April 1 once the party came to power.
He further stated that before coming to power, the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government had promised MSP on all crops so that farmers could get fair prices in mandis. However, after assuming office, the Aam Aadmi Party—once claiming to be pro-farmer—has turned against them. Farmers are now being treated as mobs and subjected to force, with even their legitimate demands ignored. He cited incidents of alleged excesses against farmers in Bathinda and Amritsar.
Randhawa asserted that the Congress party stands firmly with farmers and will not allow farmer-opposing parties like the BJP at the Centre and AAP in Punjab to ruin them. He also demanded the cancellation of the proposed India-US trade deal, stating that the Congress party will stand shoulder to shoulder with farmers across the country to oppose it and make every effort to get it scrapped.