BHOPAL: State Congress on Monday launched a scathing attack on the

after a farmer in Burhanpur district allegedly committed suicide after he failed to repay an agricultural loan for which he had mortgaged his son as security. "This is the height of insensitivity," said state Congress president

. "Is the government trying to double the earnings of farmers as it had promised or making them bankrupt?" he asked.

Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh said that farmer Karkoon in Bolana village had mortaged his son to take a loan of Rs 2.5 lakh. When he failed to repay the loan and release his son from the mortgage, he committed suicide. The incident occurred on Saturday. Congress demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the farmer’s family and the release of the mortgaged son.

What proved more damaging for the ruling BJP on Monday is that former state unit chief Nandkumar Singh Chouhan who is also MP from Khandwa constituency tried to rationalise the incident saying it is "tradition" to keep a child mortgage when taking a loan.

"This is a disgrace for the c government. And Nandkumar Singh Chouhan’s statement that it is customary to keep a child as mortgage is shameful," leader of opposition Ajay Singh said. "This shows the mentality of the

. The 42-year-old farmer had taken the loan and mortgaged his son. When the crops failed, he could not release his son and committed suicide. The question that arises is, who are the people getting loans at 0% interest that the government claims it gives?"

Singh asked why farmers in the state are not getting the benefit of highest rate of agricultural growth that it claims. "In the chief minister’s third term, more than 5,500 farmers have committed suicides," Ajay Singh said.

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath argued that farmers' suicides in the state are much higher than government statistics. "The data is faulty because as MP of Chhindwara I know when a farmer commits suicide because of a loan burden and police case says he took his life because of an illness," Kamal Nath said.