Wrestler turned politician Bajrang Punia was caught spreading fake news regarding the farmer protests on social media on 26 September. The Congress leader claimed that a farmer committed suicide at the Khanauri border protest site because he was upset with the policies of the Modi govt. While it is true that a farmer died by suicide, it was not due to any policy of the govt, but due to financial burden faced by the person.
Bajrang Punia, who has been appointed as the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress, posted on 𝕏, “226th day of Farmer Protests 2. Very sad news has come from Khanauri border. Gurmeet Singh, who was looking after the electricity system from day one, committed suicide after being upset with the wrong policies of the government and the indecent statements of the politicians.”
किसान आंदोलन 2 के 226 वे दिन
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) September 26, 2024
खनौरी बॉर्डर से बहुत दुखद खबर आयी है
पहले दिन से बिजली की व्यवस्था की देखरेख कर रहे भाई गुरमीत सिंह ने सरकार की गलत नीतियों व राजनेताओं की अभद्र बयानबाज़ी से परेशान हो कर आत्महत्या कर ली, किसान आंदोलन के प्रति गुरमीत सिंह का समर्पण इतना था कि अपने… pic.twitter.com/XzhaeMHYAb
Punia further added, “Gurmeet Singh’s dedication towards the farmers’ movement was such that he did not even go home for his own son’s wedding. He had said that if after I go home, the electricity of any farmer’s trolley goes out of order, then who will fix it?” The former wrestler then asked, “I don’t know how many more farmers this government and system will sacrifice and for how long farmers will keep committing suicide?”
However, as per reports of the suicide of the person, his extreme step was not linked to any policy of the govt. As reported by Times of India, Baldev Singh Sandoha, a farmer leader from BKU Ekta Sidhupur, said that 53-year-old farmer Gurmeet Singh was unable to settle his outstanding electricity bills due to financial constraints.
Gurmeet Singh, a resident of Thoothianwali village in Mansa, was a landless farmer who also worked as an electrician. He was residing at a rented house in Mansa city, and was facing severe financial constraints. He was participating in the farmer protests at the Khanauri protest site, where farmers have been demonstrating since February 13 after the Haryana govt prevented them from marching towards Delhi. He was a member of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur).
He has been working as an unpaid electrician at the protest site for several months. According to Jagjit Singh Dallewal, state president of the BKU (Sidhupur), he even skipped his son’s wedding to continue his duties at the Morcha. Dallewal also held the Centre responsible for the suicide.
Singh took his life at around 8 AM on 26 September near a trailer at the protest site, where he was living in a camp. He was found hanging from a tent of a tractor-trailer.
He was taken to a nearby government hospital in Patran, Patiala, but was pronounced dead upon arrival. The body has been kept in the mortuary of the hospital. Police said that autopsy will be performed upon completion of necessary formalities like confirming identity and recording statements.
BKU (Sidhupur) senior leader Kaka Singh Kotda said, “The postmortem will be done when government assures us about compensation and a job for a family member. We are talking to the administration.”
Baljinder Singh, the chowki in-charge under Tharua police station, said, “Primary facie it’s a suicide case. The body is at Patran government hospital. We are taking action as per section 194 (police to enquire and report on suicide, etc.) of the BNSS.”
