When the newly elected workaholic Chief Minister of Poschimbanga was busy inaugurating the Digha beach festival when farmer Tapas Majhi from Purbasthali in Bardhaman was forced to commit suicide being unable to obtain the minimum price for the paddy that he has grown. This however is not the only example of the government’s failure to implement its much hyped agricultural policies. Last Sunday potato farmer Haridas Ratna of Habibpur, Malda too had committed suicide unable to obtain even the cost he has incurred for growing potato. The same fate was met by another farmer of Kalna. But the tears of these poor farmers and their families could not move the Chief Minister. Her priorities were apparent when she remained busy in bringing Digha at par with Goa and remaining oblivious to the predicaments of the farmers. Distress selling of crops as paddy and potato had become rampant in the State. Complains of potatoes rotting in cold storages across the State has been pouring in since the end of 2011, when increasing salary of its ministers three folds remains the prerogative of the insensible and insensitive government of Ma-Mati-Manush. Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh, on Saturday had not only refused to acknowledge that there had been any farmer suicide in the State due to huge debt burdens; he also shamelessly accredited the two deaths that he could confirm to family feuds. But proving the government a liar, farmer Haridas Ratna’s wife has written a letter on 12th of January itself to the Chief Minister confirming that her husband was forced to commit suicide because he was unable to obtain price for his crops and hence could not pay back the moneylender.  (Courtsey: Ganashakti)