AZHAGAR, a young farmer from Tamilnadu aged only 26 years committed suicide after officials of a private financial firm seized his tractor to recover Rs Two lakh loan from him. The news of the seizure of the tractor had been reported widely on the same day that Vijay Mallya, accused of defrauding banks of over Rs 9000 crore was allowed by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government to flee the country. Azhagar was physically assaulted and insulted by the officials of the private financial firm. Azhagar had taken a loan of Rs Seven lakh from the firm to purchase a tractor and had repaid Rs Five lakh and the balance was pending according to reports. Officials of the financial firm abused and insulted him in front of villagers and also seized his tractor. This was also allegedly followed up with physical assault by musclemen. The farmer committed suicide by consuming poison. The All India Kisan Sabha, in a statement issued on March 14, has demanded the black-listing of the private financial firm responsible for his death. This incident follows the assault of another farmer, Balan, of Thanjavur district by police over non-payment of loans worth Rs 3.8 lakh. The video of the assault had been taken cognizance by the NHRC which issued notices to the chief secretary and the DGP, government of Tamilnadu, seeking reports within two weeks on the matter. No efforts were made by the AIADMK government to ensure fair and remunerative prices for paddy, sugarcane and other crops and neither was effective compensation made for extensive crop loss. AIKS demanded that the insensitive chief minister J Jayalalithaa tender her resignation as she has failed to provide any relief to farmers hit by the consecutive droughts and rather allowed strong-arm tactics by credit agencies. The Tamilnadu government and the chief minister has been in a criminal denial mode about the acute crisis of farmers and even refused to acknowledge farmers’ suicides. The families of farmers who committed suicide had taken part in a two-day dharna before parliament under the Kisan Sabha banner and later the Tamilnadu Vyavasayigal Sangham (affiliated to AIKS) had also given compensation to these families to mitigate their suffering. AIKS extends support to the Tamilnadu unit which is launching united struggles and taking a campaign against the anti-farmer AIADMK government to every village in the state. All organisations of the peasantry, agricultural workers and the toiling masses will unite and work for a pro-farmer government in the forthcoming assembly elections in the state.