New Delhi: The priest of a Gurdwara from Haryana, Baba Ram Singh, who joined the farmers’ protest, has died by suicide; he had shot himself. The 65-year-old was at the Delhi-Sonipat border at Kundli, where he reached last evening. The area is 2 km from the Singhu border, the epicentre of farmers’ protest, which is now on its 21st day. In a note, he said he was sacrificing his life “to express anger and pain against the government’s injustice”.
“I feel the pain of farmers fighting to ensure their rights… I share their pain because the government is not doing justice to them. To inflict injustice is a sin, but it is also a sin to tolerate injustice. To support farmers, some have returned their awards to the government. I have decided to sacrifice myself,” read the note he left.
“He was rushed to Park hospital in Panipat and was declared dead on arrival by the doctors,” said Shyam Lal Poonia, the Deputy Police Commissioner of Sonipat. His body is now being shifted to Karnal, where he lived, the officer added.
“Sant Baba Ram Singh from Karnal died by suicide over the farmers’ condition at Kundli border. My condolences in this moment of grief… many farmers have sacrificed their lives. The Modi government has crossed all the limits of cruelty. Stop being adamant, take back the anti-farmer laws,” Congress’s Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
“Anguished to hear that Sant Baba Ram Singh ji Nanaksar Singhra wale shot himself at Singhu border in Kisan Dharna, looking at farmers’ suffering. Sant ji’s sacrifice won’t be allowed to go in vain. I urge GOI not to let situation deteriorate any further & repeal the 3 agri laws,” tweeted senior Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal.
Since the end of November, tens of thousands of farmers have gathered at the borders of Delhi from Punjab and Haryana, demanding that the three farm sector laws passed by the government in September, be scrapped.
More than 20 of the protesters have died, the farmers’ representatives said yesterday. A farmer leader from Maharashtra, Rishipal, said one farmer has died every day on an average since the protest started.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/man-allegedly-dies-by-suicide-at-farmers-protest-outside-delhi-leaves-note-2339579
This reminds me of the futile act of suicide of Bishop John Joseph of Faizalabad, Pakistan, in protest against its blasphemy laws. No matter how just the cause, this is just not the way forward.