By Our Special Correspondent

Congress President Kharge points at the figures to indicate the Gujarat model of development…

CONGRESS President Kharge is blaming the BJP’s “double engine misgovernance” for the high suicide rate in Gujarat which has come to light. Kharge urged the state government to prioritise the well-being and safety of its citizens and take “immediate and decisive action” to address the issue
The Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge last week blamed the injustice done by “BJP’s double-engine misgovernance” by not fulfilling the promises on employment and recruitment resulting in the high suicide rate in Gujarat. He added that the government has failed to address the root causes behind the escalating suicide rates.
“This is another example of the BJP’S double-engine misgovernance that has already inflicted several “anyay” (injustice) on the country. Its state and Central governments have failed to fulfil their promises of releasing and filling job vacancies and creating new job opportunities”, the Congress leader said in an official statement in response to the suicide data tabled in the Gujarat Assembly that concluded Thursday.
According to the data tabled in the Assembly, 25,550 persons allegedly died by suicide in three years of which 8,319 suicides were reported in 2020-21, 8,674 in 2021-22, and 8,557 in 2022-23. Among these, the combined number of suicides in major cities such as Ahmedabad city and rural, Rajkot city, Surat city and Vadodara city have seen 2,853, 2,969, and 2,917 suicides in 2020-2021, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.
“The statistics laid bare by the state government paint a grim picture of a populace grappling with despair, hopelessness, and unaddressed grievances. In a state that boasts of progress and prosperity, it is unimaginable that so many citizens have felt compelled to take their own lives,” Kharge stated, adding, “The fact that the maximum number of cases emanates from cities like Ahmedabad (3,280), Surat (2,862), and Rajkot (1,287) is a damning indictment of the government’s inability to provide adequate support and resources to the vulnerable.”
Urging the state government to prioritise the well-being and safety of its citizens and take “immediate and decisive action” to address the issue, the Congress leader said, “The prime minister’s silence on this grave human tragedy in his home state is deafening. Even CM Bhupendra Patel’s acknowledgement of this crisis, while condemnable, falls short of addressing the fundamental failures of governance and the dire need for concrete action to stem the tide of preventable tragedies”.
In the past three years, 495 students — 249 males and 246 females — committed suicide in the state. The student suicide figures have also seen a steep rise over the past three years, jumping from 147 in 2020-21 to 168 in 2021-22 and 179 in 2022-23. The government has stated that special counselling sessions for students to cope with examination pressure and develop a “positive attitude” towards the examinations have been enabled by bringing motivational speakers to educational institutions.
Moreover, various toll-free numbers and the Jeevan Aastha helpline number have been set up to help students and parents who are facing mental stress during examinations.
In response to a question by Congress MLA Imran Khedawala in the Assembly, the state government also cited reasons such as “mental illness, love affair, family problems, failure in exams and financial difficulties” as the major reasons for the increase in number of suicides in Gujarat.
The Gujarat model for the rest of India, anyone?