Dharashiv:Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday termed the suicide of MPSC aspirant Prathamesh Deshmukh as a “murder done by the system”, and said the government should ensure that incidents like this do not happen again.

He also said that people were demanding reservation as the government has completely failed in providing quality education and jobs to the youth.

Deshmukh (28), who was preparing for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations allegedly died by suicide in Pune with a note left behind by him mentioning that he had a debt of around Rs 2.5 lakh. He was a native of Paranda in Dharashiv, and was staying in a rented accommodation in Navi Peth area while preparing for competitive exams.

Dipke on Thursday visited Khasapuri village in Dharashiv and met Deshmukh’s grieving family members.

Talking to reporters later, Dipke said Deshmukh went to Pune with a dream to get a job and take his family out of poverty. “He borrowed money from friends to meet his expenses. But due to paper leaks and delayed results, pressure mounted on students. This (Deshmukh’s suicide) is system’s fault and it is a murder done by the system,” he alleged.

Deshmukh took the extreme step as he was fed up with the system, unemployment and financial condition of youth in rural areas, the CJP convenor said.

“Prathamesh stayed in Pune and used to have a meal only once a day due to his financial condition. According to his mother, Prathamesh used to say that he would come home in a government car, but unfortunately he was brought here in an ambulance yesterday. His father has already passed away,” Dipke said.

The MPSC aspirants from the rural areas face a challenge of meeting their expenses in a city like Pune, he added.

“He (Deshmukh) had borrowed Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh from his friends...A youth had to end his life for this much amount. This is the condition of our youth in rural areas because there is no employment,” he said.

“Prathamesh was preparing for MPSC exams and we all know what is happening in the MPSC. Exams are not conducted properly, the results are improper and paper leaks also take place. How will the youth from rural areas survive in a city like Pune? How will they pay the money required for library, food, rent and coaching? This is a question that haunts the youth from rural areas,” he said.

‘’Prathamesh left the village with a dream to become an officer, then how can he return without cracking the exams? For this, he did everything that he could. He stayed there (in Pune) for four years by curtailing his expenses. There are thousands of youths like him,’’ he said.

Talking about the quota issue, Dipke claimed that since people have lost faith in the government they were asking for a constitutional remedy.

“The government cannot give good facilities. If they get good facilities, good schools and education and opportunities, why would anyone ask for reservation? People are asking for reservation because the government has completely failed in giving quality education and providing jobs. People have lost faith in the government so they are seeking constitutional remedies,” he said.

Dipke also said the CJP earlier only supported the agitation by the MPSC aspirants, but now it will also get involved in the agitation.