NEW DELHI - A 45-year-old Indian cotton grower drank pesticide in front of a state chief minister Sunday in protest of government failure to support farmers, reported local media on Monday.

At an election meeting of the Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan in Amravati district, some 200 km from Nagpur, Arun Sabane, 45, first shouted slogans in support of hike in the minimum support price of raw cotton, said local daily The Hindustan Times.

However, the Congress party workers, who were present there, stopped him from speaking. Sabane whipped out a bottle of pesticide which was kept in his pocket and swallowed it there in full public view.

He was immediately rushed to a local civil hospital. His condition was reportedly in critical condition.

Thousands of farmers commit suicide in India each year because of debts and poverty, according to local media reports.