"Farmers are dying in Odisha (only) when the assembly is in session. Once the session is over, are such incidents reported," asked the Minister.
Denying that any Odia farmer had committed suicide due to crop loss, he said the state's peasants have weathered all odds in the past.
"Odia farmers live with dignity. No farmer has committed suicide even in difficult times like the famine in 1866 or the Super Cyclone in 1999," Maharathy added.
Maharathy's comments invited sharp criticism from opposition parties.
"This statement is an insult to the state's farmers. They are continuously committing suicide. The government has failed to provide succour. It has neither provided water for irrigation, nor ensured minimum support price to farmers," Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Pradip Purohit said.
Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati flayed the Minister for what he dubbed a "irresponsible statement".
"Farmers are committing suicide in Odisha, like in other states. the BJP and the Biju Janata Dal are responsible for their plight. The Minister's statement on farmer suicide is unfortunate," said Bahinipati, Chief Whip of the opposition party in the assembly.
(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Doraiah Chowdary Vundavally is a Software engineer at VTech . He is the news editor of SocialNews.XYZ and Freelance writer-contributes Telugu and English Columns on Films, Politics, and Gossips. He is the primary contributor for South Cinema Section of SocialNews.XYZ. His mission is to help to develop SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgement towards any.
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