While the Opposition continues to demand compensation for the kin of the farmers who lost their lives during the year-long protest against the farm laws, the government in Parliament maintained that it has no record of those who died.In a response to the question on whether it proposes to provide financial assistance to the family of farmers who died during the agitation, the government stated, “The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare has no record in the matter and hence the question does not arise.”During the previous Monsoon Session as well, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar had stated that the Centre has no record of farmers’ deaths. However, the Punjab government data accessed by The Indian Express showed that till July 20, details of 220 such farmers/farm labourers who died in the agitation have been verified. Out of these 220, 203 (92%) farmers/farm labourers deceased were from Malwa region of the state, while 11 (5%) deaths were from Majha and six (2.7%) from Doaba.The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the body spearheading the farmer protest, has put the figure to over 670 deaths.A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the rollback of the farm laws, the farmers’ body stated, “So far, more than 670 protesters have sacrificed their lives in this movement. The Modi government has refused to acknowledge the high human cost. The martyrs also deserve homage to be paid to them in the Parliament session, and a memorial erected in their name.”
