65 year old Baba Ram Singh who joined the farmers’ protest, a priest from a Gurudwara in Haryana, has died by suicide, shooting himself. He 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, now on its 21st day.
He left a note which read, “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.”
Shyam Lal Poonia, the Deputy Police Commissioner of Sonipat said, “He was rushed to Park hospital in Panipat and was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.”
His body is now being shifted to Karnal, where he lived, the officer added.
Congress’s Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi that, “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.”
Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal said, “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.”
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.