Bhaiyyu Maharaj saved farmers struck by anguish

Mumbai: As part of his 10-year-old 'Bhumi Sudhar Abhiyan' projects in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, Bhaiyyu Maharaj worked at preventing suicides by distressed farmers and increasing soil fertility. On June 2, Bhaiyyu Maharaj had tweeted that the project had covered 950 villages.

Maharaj started various campaigns for the poor frustrated farmers of the state, like the 'Vasu Vriksha Yojna,' aimed at planting more trees so as to create an environment for rain. He was famous for conducting motivation classes in the Marathwada region in places like Osmanabad, Latur and Beed for
farmers.

Talking to The Asian Age, water resources minister Girish Mahajan, stated, “He was a very calm person, so taking such an extreme step seems to me to be a matter of depression.” The minister also added, “We knew each other for a long time. He was close to many famous personalities. It is ironical that he was the person who initiated various activities for farmers to prevent them from taking an extreme step like suicide, and here he himself committed suicide. It's very shocking.”

Bhaiyyuji Maharaj, was invited by Mr Narendra Modi during the ‘sadbhavna upwaas’. He came into limelight when the then central government sent him as a mediator to persuade Anna Hazare to call off his fast at the Ramlila ground.