Haryana Agri Minister Issues Apology For Questioning Farmer Deaths

Dalal had asked if those who died in protests wouldn’t have died, had they stayed at home, due to their ailments.

Dalal had asked if those who died in protests wouldn’t have died if they were at home due to ailments. 

(Photo: Facebook/JPDALAL.BJP)

Hours after he told mediapersons that farmers who died during the ongoing protest would have lost their lives even if they were at home, Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal, on Sunday, 14 February, apologised for his statement, while adding that he had been ‘misinterpreted.’

Speaking to news agency ANI, Minister Dalal said that his statement was taken otherwise and that he only has the welfare of farmers on mind.

“If anyone is hurt by my statements, then, I apologise. My statement has been misinterpreted. I am committed to the welfare of farmers.”

JP Dalal, Haryana Agriculture Minister

What Exactly Had Dalal Said?

On Saturday, Dalal was responding to queries by media persons in Haryana’s Bhiwani, when he was asked if it is normal for 200 people to die within a period of six months due to heart or any other fever-related ailments, reported The Indian Express.

“Won’t they have died, had they been at their homes? In a population of one or two lakh, around 200 can people die within six months. Someone may die of a heart attack while the other may die of fever,” Dalal said.

He further said that farmers had not died in accidents and had lost their lives ‘by their own will’. 

In the same breath, Dalal had said that his condolences were with the dead.