Modi urges unity after farmer suicide

(MENAFN- Arab News) NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all political parties Thursday to work together to help troubled farmers after one of them hanged himself at a protest over planned land reforms.
News channels were dominated by the fallout over Gajendra Singh's suicide the day before in front of hundreds of people at a rally against Modi's plans to make it easier for businesses to acquire land.
Singh reportedly a father of three from the desert state of Rajasthan was declared dead on arrival at a local hospital after hanging himself from a tree during the protest in the center of the capital New Delhi.
A sombre-looking Modi asked his colleagues and rivals to join hands to help farmers battle an 'age-old problem' of suicide often triggered by devastated crops due to unseasonable rains.
'We are many parties but this is a huge nation and we need to work together' he told lawmakers.
'I welcome any suggestions to help our farmers and I assure you that the government will consider them.'
Wednesday's rally which was organized by the anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the latest of a series of opposition protests against Modi's push to make it easier to buy farmland for development projects.
Several fresh protests were staged across the capital Thursday as a row over who was to blame for Singh's death intensified.
Modi's government has delayed a bill that will make it easier for industry to buy farmland.
Two Cabinet ministers speaking on condition of anonymity said the land acquisition bill a revision to a 2013 land law would not be brought up until the first week of May reversing a previous line-up of legislative business.