In a controversial public statement that has drawn widespread criticism across Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MLA from Buldhana, Sanjay Gaikwad, suggested that people should completely boycott the funerals and last rites of farmers who die by suicide. Addressing media queries regarding rural agrarian distress and rising suicides in drought-affected pockets, the outspoken legislator claimed that if society refuses to attend their cremations and stray animals end up feeding on the abandoned corpses, the grim deterrent will force others contemplating suicide to step back from taking their own lives. The remarks have sparked outrage from opposition benches, agricultural unions, and civil rights groups across the state.

What Did Sanjay Gaikwad Actually Say?

Articulating his argument, Gaikwad asserted that farmers must consider the emotional and financial ruin inflicted on their surviving families before taking an extreme step. “I have repeatedly advocated in my speeches that nobody should attend the funeral of a person who dies by suicide,” Gaikwad said. He further argued: “Only when people realize that their bodies may be eaten by animals and understand what happens to their remains will they stop committing suicide. After that, no farmer will die by suicide”. The legislator framed his logic as an attempt to dissuade individuals through shock value, arguing that suicide amounts to abandoning one’s spouse and dependent children.

“Approach Your MLA or MP”: Gaikwad’s Advice to Distressed Crop Growers

While his remarks on funerals drew immediate backlash, Gaikwad maintained that farmers should reach out to public representatives rather than ending their lives in isolation. “If you (farmers) have a problem, write to the government, your MLA or your MP. Inform them about your difficulties, and everyone will come together to help you,” he urged. Referencing traditional cultural vows, the MLA noted: “You take the seven sacred rounds with your wife, vow to stand by her for seven lifetimes, and promise to look after your children. Yet, if you end your life halfway through, what happens to those promises? By taking your own life and leaving your children helpless, you are, in a way, punishing them”.

Widespread Condemnation from Farmer Outfits and Opposition Benches

The MLA’s statement triggered immediate pushback from agricultural activists and opposition leaders, who called it insensitive to the agrarian crisis. Farmer advocacy groups pointed out that agricultural producers in Vidarbha and Marathwada face mounting debts, erratic monsoon patterns, crop damage, and delayed insurance payouts—structural issues that cannot be reduced to personal fault. Leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde formally address the remark, questioning how an elected lawmaker could use such language toward families trapped in agricultural distress.

A History of High-Voltage Controversies

This is not the first time the Buldhana legislator has found himself at the center of a political controversy. In early 2024, Gaikwad faced intense scrutiny from forest authorities after flaunting a tiger tooth necklace in public and claiming he had hunted the big cat in 1987. Later, he drew fire over a viral video showing him thrashing a youth with a police lathi, followed by another incident where he allegedly assaulted a canteen staff member at the MLA hostel in Mumbai over complaints of stale food. His latest remarks on farmer funerals have once again placed the ruling coalition on the defensive as debates over agrarian policy and farm relief intensify across Maharashtra.