Bhopal, February 19 – At least 32,385 people from various age groups have taken their own lives by suicide across Madhya Pradesh in just two years, the state government said in a written reply submitted on the fourth day of the state Assembly’s budget session on Thursday.
The state government’s data revealed a shocking fact: the number of suicide cases among young people – particularly students – was the highest among all those who took the extreme step to end their lives.
A total of 987 students have died by suicide in the state between December 13, 2023, and January 20, 2026, since the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Madhya Pradesh government took office.
Following students and young people, the situation for those working in the agricultural sector appears even more alarming, with a total of 667 agricultural workers committing suicide, while 562 registered farmers also took their own lives during the same period.
This means that out of the total number of people who died by suicide, 1,229 were directly or indirectly associated with agriculture, which is particularly concerning because up to 70% of the population in Madhya Pradesh relies on these two specific government sectors.
In response to a specific query raised by Congress MLA Rajan Mandloi from the Barwani Assembly seat, the state government said that only two farmers had died in the state due to crop damage in the last two years during the BJP government's tenure.
The first-time Congress MLA Mandloi, who belongs to the tribal community, also sought to know if the state government provided any financial support to the families of these farmers, agricultural workers, and students who died by suicide, to which the state government responded that no deaths occurred due to suicide in the state.
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly’s budget session commenced on February 16 and will conclude on March 6.
On the fourth day of the Assembly proceedings on Thursday, Congress legislators disrupted the House, demanding a formal debate on the drinking water contamination tragedy in Indore’s Bhagirathpura, which claimed several lives.
As the House proceedings began, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and veteran Congress leader, Umang Singhar, said the party sought a discussion on the water contamination deaths tragedy.
Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar refused permission to the Congress regarding a discussion on the water contamination deaths tragedy, stating that the matter was sub judice and "any discussion on this subject could be considered contempt of court".
Opposition Congress members then raised slogans, accusing the BJP government in the state of "shielding" government officials and public representatives.
The Congress reiterated its demand for the resignation of State Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya.
State Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Singh Patel supported the Assembly Speaker’s ruling and suggested that the issue could be addressed in a separate meeting with the concerned state Minister, rather than in a debate in the House.