Nanded (Maharashtra): Bacchu Kadu, an independent MLA from Amravati district in Maharashtra, has stirred up a hornet’s nest by drawing a bizarre parallel between Bollywood’s dream girl and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament from Mathura. Hema Malini and farmers' suicide in the state.
"75% of MLAs drink, journalists drink. Hema Malini drinks heavily daily, did she commit suicide?" Kadu said while addressing a press conference in Nanded..
Continuing the same tone, Kadu further said that even the notion that farmers commit suicide due to burden of excess expenditure in marriage is also incorrect.
Explaining further, the MLA further delved into a bizarre explanation saying that should they wait and see if Union Minister Nitin Gadkari commits suicide after spending Rs. 4 crore on his son's wedding.
"All these reasons are nonsensical. Gadkari spent Rs. four crore in his son's wedding. So should we now wait for him to commit suicide?" he said.
Kadu further said that the real cause behind these suicides is lack of money.
"Professor Swamninathan always said that farmers' produce is increasing but not their income," he said.
Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari also came under fire from Kadu. He said that Gadkari spent Rs 4 crore on his son’s marriage, “should we wait for him to commit suicide”.
Kadu later defended his remarks saying he cited Hema Malini as an example. He claimed that he had made these statements at an event in Nanded on Thursday in a particular context.
“I was referring to the statements made by some people from the government that alcohol is the reason why farmers are committing suicide in the context of the loan waiver. The government does not want to do anything. How can you blame alcohol for farmer suicides? Don’t actors drink too? Have they committed suicide? I referred to Hema Malini in that context,” explained Mr Kadu.
However, Kadu's comments haven't gone down well with the saffron brigade. BJP leaders claim that Mr Kadu’s statements don't just defame Hema Malini, but every women.
“Hema Malini is a well-known figure across the globe, apart from being a member of Parliament. These statements are uncalled for. Farmers commit suicide not just because of bad crops. There are various reasons behind it.
The farmer issue needs to be catered with various measures not just loan waiver. Kadu should not speak in such a manner against any woman. This is unacceptable,” said Priti Gandhi, national executive member of BJP's Mahila Morcha.
According to official data, more than half of the national figure of farmer suicides (5650) in 2014, have been reported in Maharashtra. This is apart from 200 suicides in first three months of 2017.
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