It's a study in contrasts.

Haryana MLAs have decided to gift themselves laptops and a substantial hike in car and home loans, even as its agriculture minister said the government would not do anything for farmers who commit suicide.

All the 90 legislators received laptops from Chief Minister ML Khattar today. In addition to this, they will get a Rs 20 lakh car loan, a 100 per cent hike from the earlier figure. Home loans have also been hiked from the earlier Rs 20 lakh to Rs 60 lakh.

The component for salaries to private staff has gone up to Rs 15,000, from the earlier Rs 10,000.

This, when the state's BJP government is yet to compensate farmers who have suffered huge crop loss.

There have been a dozen suicides in the state since January. The Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar faced condemnation today for his insensitive comments on farmer suicides. Addressing a press conference, Dhankar said, "According to Indian law, suicide is a crime. A person who commits suicide runs away from his responsibilities. Such people are cowards and the government cannot stand by such cowards, such criminals." he said on Tuesday.

He attempted to justify those remarks today, saying, "Haryana is the land of the brave, we don't want to encourage suicides here."