India, Oct. 29 -- Shiv Sena MLA from Buldhana, Sanjay Gaikwad, stirred another controversy on Wednesday, lashing out at farmers in Maharashtra who die by suicide.

Addressing the media, Gaikwad said no one should attend the funerals of farmers who die by suicide so that their souls don't find peace. "It is only when animals eat their bodies that they will learn a lesson and stop taking their own lives," the Sena MLA said.

Farmer suicides are back in the news due to crop failures brought about by widespread drought in Maharashtra due to a particularly deficient monsoon. Crop losses and financial distress have, over the years, led many to die by suicide. And, yet, on Wednesday, Gaikwad remarked, "Why are you committing suicide? If you have...