As political controversies swirl around the legacy of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, with organizations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal calling for the demolition of his tomb, a more silent yet profoundly disturbing battle is taking place in Maharashtra.
On Wednesday, farmers across the state participated in a day-long fast to honor Sahebrao Karpe, the first officially recorded farmer suicide victim in Maharashtra, who tragically took his life in 1986. Hundreds chose this form of silent protest as a tribute to a man whose story embodies the relentless struggles faced by farmers in the region.
Karpe’s life was marked by extreme hardship, living in the drought-stricken areas of Yavatmal weighed down by insurmountable debts. On the night of March 19, 1986, he made the harrowing decision to end his life in the presence of his wife and four young children, leaving behind a poignant suicide note that conveyed his despair: “It is impossible to survive as a farmer.” His death was merely the first tragic signal of a much larger crisis that would grip the state for years to come, as many farmers followed in his footsteps, lost to an ongoing cycle of despair.
Recently, Maharashtra witnessed the untimely death of another farmer, Kailas Nagre from Buldhana, a young agricultural innovator who had received the Yuva Kisan Award for his contributions to farming. Despite his accolades, he found himself trapped in a struggle against severe water shortages. Nagre’s efforts to bring attention to the water crisis through hunger strikes and letters to the Chief Minister went unheeded, ultimately resulting in his heartbreaking decision to take his own life. He left a succinct and powerful message in his suicide note: “Farmers are innovative, but they need water.” Before ending his life, he expressed his wish to be cremated on his farmland, with his ashes immersed in dam water—a final connection to the soil he toiled.
Water scarcity has long been a central issue in Maharashtra’s drought-prone Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, directly impacting countless farmers and heightening their vulnerability to despair. In stark contrast, the political dialogue in the state often seems detached from the urgent needs of the agriculture sector. Leaders who once condemned alleged corruption in irrigation projects now occupy positions of power together. For example, Devendra Fadnavis, a key figure in the current government, had previously called out the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for an alleged ₹70,000 crore irrigation scam. Today, however, NCP leaders are his allies in governance, and the focus in the State Assembly has shifted away from addressing the farming crisis to debates over historical figures like Aurangzeb.
Amid growing tensions over Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khultabad, the dire circumstances facing farmers remain largely unacknowledged. The Maharashtra government’s decision to rename Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar aims to erase Aurangzeb’s legacy while honoring Sambhaji Maharaj, who suffered at the hands of the Mughal emperor. Fadnavis has criticized any glorification of Aurangzeb, highlighting how public sentiments have accelerated tensions in the region.
Alarmingly, data reveals that between 2021 and 2024, a staggering 11,171 farmers have taken their lives in Maharashtra, averaging eight suicides daily. Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation Makrand Jadhav has acknowledged the situation’s critical status, especially in regions like Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati. Despite this ongoing tragedy, the political landscape remains indifferent. Farmer activist Amar Habib pointed out that since Karpe’s suicide in 1986, countless farmers have perished as a result of the agrarian crisis, yet neither the Lok Sabha nor the State Assembly has ever paid formal homage to these victims.
As discussions about the past dominate public discourse, the current state of despair continues to deepen. The escalating agrarian distress poses significant risks to the nation’s future, yet those in power remain fixated on historical grievances rather than addressing the pressing needs of farmers today.
