bjp-slams-rahul-over-silence-on-karnataka-farmer-suicides

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of selective empathy, questioning his silence over more than 1,180 farmer suicides in Karnataka in the past 15 months.

 

The BJP asked if Gandhi’s concern for farmers was limited only to states not governed by his own party.

 

R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, launched a sharp attack on Thursday, criticising Gandhi for not addressing the crisis in the Congress-ruled state.

 

“Mr Rahul Gandhi, before you shed crocodile tears about Maharashtra farmers, take a hard look at the devastating reality unfolding in your own party-ruled Karnataka,” Ashoka said.

 

The BJP leader referred to official state government figures that confirm over 1,180 suicides by farmers in Karnataka since the Congress took office.

 

“No visit to grieving families, no expression of sorrow, no call for accountability. Why this silence, Rahul ji? Is empathy only reserved for states not governed by your party?” Ashoka asked.

 

He accused Gandhi of turning a blind eye to the “criminal neglect” of the Siddaramaiah-led government, questioning whether the Chief Minister was immune to criticism simply because he belonged to the Congress.

 

Ashoka went on to say that true leadership means holding one’s own party accountable. “If Rahul genuinely cares about India’s farmers, the place to begin is Karnataka. Otherwise, his compassion rings hollow and his outrage feels manufactured,” he said.

 

The BJP further claimed that Karnataka’s farmers are being used as political tools, and demanded that Gandhi acknowledge their suffering and call for corrective action from his own government.

 

The criticism came shortly after Rahul Gandhi shared a report on farmer suicides in Maharashtra on social media, accusing the BJP-led central government of indifference.

 

“In just 3 months, 767 farmers in Maharashtra have taken their own lives. Is this just a statistic? No. These are 767 shattered homes. And the government? Silent,” Gandhi posted on X.

 

Gandhi has been vocal about what he describes as the Modi government's failure to support farmers, particularly those struggling with debt and poor crop yields. However, the BJP argues that his focus on Maharashtra, while ignoring Karnataka, exposes a partisan and politically motivated approach.