Hyderabad, Jan.9 (Maxim News): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded that the BJP Government at the Centre withdraw the three contentious agriculture laws without further delay.
Addressing the day-long ‘Rythu Deeksha‘ organised by Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka at Dharna Chowk, Indira Park on Saturday, Uttam said that lakhs of farmers have been protesting against the new farm bills for the last 44 days. The farmers have continued their protest despite severe coldwave in Delhi demanding withdrawal of controversial laws. However, he alleged that Prime Minister Narender Modi was not considering the demands of farmers even on humanitarian grounds. He said that the BJP Government was trying to crush the agitation by prolonging the discussions. He pointed out that the Modi Govt was willing to give a Constitutional guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agricultural produce despite holding nine rounds of talks with farmers’ organisations. He said that the BJP Government was not sincere in its approach and it has mortgaged the interest of farmers to benefit a few corporates like Adanis and Ambanis.
Reddy also slammed Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao for his U-turn on new farm laws. Initially, he said that TRS not only supported the farmers’ agitation, but its ministers, MPs and MLAs, including KCR’s son K. Tarakarama Rao and daughter MLC K. Kavitha took part in the Bharat Bandh programme. However, KCR, as always, decided to sail with the BJP Govt. He said KCR not only announced open support to BJP Govt‘s anti-farmer laws, but also decided to scrap the IKP and procurement centres to purchase agriculture produce. He said that the Modi Govt was not willing to guarantee MSP and KCR Govt has decided not to purchase agriculture produce. This situation will expose farmers to extreme exploitation by a few corporates as they will be forced to sell their produce at whatever price is being offered to them without insisting on MSP, he feared.
The TPCC Chief said that the Congress party was holding ‘Rythu Deeksha‘ to support the ongoing farmers’ agitation. He also accused KCR Govt of pursuing anti-farmer policies and said that the Chief Minister was ruling like a ‘Tughlaq’. He said that KCR has caused heavy losses to lakhs of farmers by forcing them to adopt regulated farming. The Chief Minister did not pay any compensation to the farmers who suffered heavy losses after growing superfine varieties of paddy, instead of regular varieties. Instead of being apologetic, KCR simply took a U-turn and silently withdrew regulated farming. Similarly, he said CM KCR took a U-turn from his stand on new farm laws and even decided to scrap IKP Centres and PAC system to force the farmers to sell their produce at prices to be decided by corporates without any MSP. He said that the procurement centres and cooperative societies were established by previous Congress regimes to help the farmers. Therefore, he said that the TRS Govt has no right to abolish the systems which benefit the farmers.
He also disputed the claims made by CM KCR of the State Government suffering losses to the tune of Rs. 7,500 Crore due to procurement of agricultural produce. He said how could the State Govt suffer losses when the agriculture produce is purchased by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). He said that the losses were suffered due to the inefficiency of TRS Govt and CM KCR was trying to blame the farmers for the same. He said that the State Government was boasting of providing Rythu Bima, but did not provide crop insurance. He demanded that the State Government should provide crop insurance and also purchase the entire agriculture produce.
The TPCC Chief announced that the Congress party would continue its agitation until the BJP Govt withdraws the controversial farm laws. Further, he said the Congress party would intensify agitation seeking restoration of all IKP and other procurement Centres in Telangana.
Uttam also ridiculed the TRS and BJP leaders‘ criticism of each other. He said TRS and BJP were two sides of the same coin and they were practising ‘Gali Mein Kushti aur Delhi Mein Dosti‘ (Fighting in lane & friendship in Delhi) policy to cheat the common people. He said that the claims on BJP’s strength in Telangana were just hype and their bubble would burst soon. Further, he said that the BJP has no moral right to speak on Telangana until its government at the Centre delivers Railway Coach Factory in Kazipet, Tribal University, Bayyaram Steel Factory and other assurances given in the Telangana Formation Act. He alleged that BJP was trying to gain political strength by inciting communal hatred. However, he said such unethical and immoral stunts of BJP would not materialise in Telangana.
The TPCC Chief announced that former minister & ex-CLP leader K. Jana Reddy would be the Congress candidate for Nagarjuna Sagar by-elections. He claimed that Jana Reddy would win the Nagarjuna Sagar by-elections with a thumping majority. He also announced that the candidates for MLC elections in two Graduates Constituencies would be shortlisted in the next three-four days.
CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, MLAs Sridhar Babu, Podam Veeraiah and Jagga Reddy, AICC Secretary G Chinna Reddy, AICC Kisan Congress Vice Chairman Kodanda Reddy, former PCC Presidents V. Hanumantha Rao and Ponnala Lakshmaiah, former minister Dr. J. Geeta Reddy and other leaders also addressed the ‘Rythu Deeksha‘ which was attended by thousands of Congress workers and farmers from across the Telangana State. (Maxim News)
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