As political storms rage over the legacy of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and other groups demanding the demolition of his tomb, another battle—silent, yet far more haunting—unfolds in the heart of Maharashtra.
Farmers in Maharashtra observed a day-long fast on Wednesday in memory of Sahebrao Karpe, a farmer who ended his life in 1986. His suicide was first officially recorded farmer suicide in the State.
On Wednesday, hundreds of farmers across the state did not raise slogans, did not march in protest. Instead, they chose hunger as their voice, observing a day-long fast in memory of a man whose name is etched in the blood-soaked history of agrarian despair—Sahebrao Karpe.
Karpe was no emperor, no ruler, no conqueror. He was just a farmer from the parched lands of Yavatmal, crushed under the unbearable weight of drought and debt. On the night of March 19, 1986, he made an unfathomable decision. With his wife and four young children by his side, he ended it all. His suicide note carried just one devastating truth: “It is impossible to survive as a farmer.”
This was Maharashtra’s first officially recorded farmer suicide. But it was not the last. It was merely the first drop in a monsoon of sorrow that would drench the fields of the state for decades to come. While political factions battle over the ghosts of the past, the real specter haunting Maharashtra is this—an endless procession of farmers walking the same path as Karpe, swallowed by despair, unseen and unheard.
Last week, Maharashtra lost a young and promising farmer, Kailas Nagre from Buldhana, who had once been recognized for his contributions to agriculture. In 2020, the state government honored him with the Yuva Kisan Award for his innovative farming practices. But despite his achievements, he faced an obstacle he could not overcome—water scarcity.
Killer Fields
Nagre had been vocal about the worsening water crisis in his village. Just last month, he led a hunger strike, urging the authorities to address the issue. In a letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers, he highlighted the struggles of farmers and the urgent need for water supply. But his appeals went unanswered.
Kailas Nagre, an award-winning innovative farmer, tragically ended his life last week after the government ignored his demand for irrigation water for farmers.
Frustrated and helpless, he took the extreme step. In his suicide note, he wrote a simple but powerful message: “Farmers are innovative, but they need water.” Before consuming poison, he made one final request—to be cremated on his farmland and for his ashes to be immersed in dam water.
The battle for water in Maharashtra’s drought-hit Marathwada and Vidarbha regions has long been at the heart of the agrarian crisis. Lack of irrigation—has dictated the fate of thousands of farmers, pushing many to the brink. Yet, as crops wither and debts mount, the political discourse in the state seems preoccupied elsewhere.
Ironically, the very leaders who once took to the streets in protest against corruption in irrigation projects now sit together in power. When in opposition, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis led a fierce campaign against the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), accusing its leaders of orchestrating a ₹70,000 crore irrigation scam. He demanded probes, promised justice, and vowed to hold those responsible accountable. Today, NCP leaders, including Ajit Pawar—now Chief Minister Fadnavis’ deputy—are an integral part of the BJP-led government.
Not surprisingly, inside the State Assembly, the debates aren’t about irrigation, farmer suicides, or accountability. Instead, the political spotlight has shifted to history—specifically, the tomb of Aurangzeb. Chief Minister Fadnavis recently lamented, “It is unfortunate that the government has to take responsibility for protecting Aurangzeb’s grave despite his history of persecution.” He warned that any attempt to glorify the Mughal ruler would invite strict legal action.
Deteriorating crisis
As the controversy over Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khultabad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district intensifies, the crisis unfolding in the region remains largely ignored. This district, along with Nagpur in Vidarbha—where tensions recently flared over the Mughal ruler’s tomb—is also a grim hotspot for farmer suicides.
The Maharashtra government has renamed Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to erase the memory of Aurangzeb and honor Chhatrapati Sambhaji, who was tortured and executed by Aurangzeb. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in the state Assembly about the recent clashes in Nagpur, stated that the movie Chhaava had fueled public anger against Aurangzeb. The violent clashes in Nagpur left at least 30 people injured and resulted in several vehicles being set on fire.
Between 2021 and 2024, a staggering 11,171 farmers have taken their own lives in Maharashtra. The scale of the tragedy is undeniable. In a rare admission, the state government revealed in the Legislative Council that, on average, eight farmers die by suicide every single day in the state. Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation Makrand Jadhav acknowledged that the crisis is particularly severe in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati.
Yet, despite this relentless tragedy, the political establishment remains indifferent. Farmer activist Amar Habib pointed out a glaring truth: “Since the first officially recorded farmer suicide in 1986, lakhs of farmers have ended their lives. And yet, neither the Lok Sabha nor the State Assembly has ever passed a resolution to pay homage to them. The political class remains shockingly insensitive to this crisis.”
As debates rage over the past, the present is slipping further into despair. The deepening agrarian distress threatens to leave lasting scars on the nation’s future—but for those in power glued to the past, the plight of the farmer is still not a priority.
