Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for a massive agitation against the decision of TRS Government to shut down the procurement centres in villages to stop purchase of agricultural produce from the farmers.
Reddy today held a meeting with CLP Leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, MLC Jeevan Reddy, MLAs Sridhar Babu and Jagga Reddy, TPCC Working President Ponnam Prabhakar and other office bearers of Kisan Congress. The meeting was coordinated by All India Kisan Congress Vice Chairman Kodanda Reddy and Telangana Kisan Congress Chairman Anvesh. They had a detailed discussion on the recent decisions taken by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and their impact on farmers of Telangana.
Addressing a press conference later, Uttam said that the Congress party would organise protests in all Mandal Headquarters across Telangana State from 30th December to 8th January and memorandums would be submitted to Mandal Revenue Officers (MROs). On January 11, protests will be held at all District Headquarters and a State-level protest will be held on 18th January. He said a Round Table Conference would also be held in the next two-three days.
He strongly condemned the decision of CM KCR to wind up all procurement centres and said that KCR has no moral to continue on the post of Chief Minister. He said that a majority of population in Telangana was dependent on agriculture and the people do not need a government which is ignoring the farm sector. He alleged that CM KCR was implementing the new farm laws of BJP Government to benefit the corporates and hurt the interest of farmers.
He said that the previous Congress Government had established procurement centres in all villages in 2004 to help the farmers sell their produce at Minimum Support Price (MSP). He said that various governments have been procuring paddy from farmers for the last 70 years and therefore, the TRS Government did not favour the farmers by purchasing paddy and other produce. He said that the State Government had spent a budget of nearly Rs. 10 lakh crore since the formation of Telangana. In this scenario, losses of Rs. 7,500 Crore due to procurement of agricultural produce was not significant. Further, he said that the losses occurred not due to farmers, but to the incompetence of KCR Govt. He said an important department like Civil Supplies is being headed by a retired IAS officer and not a senior IAS officer.
Strongly condemning CM KCR’s statement wherein he stated that the government was not a Rice or Dal Mill, Uttam Kumar Reddy said KCR should explain whether his government was working as a broker for contractors. He said that it was the responsibility of the State Government to purchase agricultural produce so as to ensure MSP for various crops to all farmers. He said that the State Government could not leave farmers to their fate and be exposed to exploitation by the corporates.
Reddy said that CM KCR’s objection to new farm laws of BJP Govt was false and fabricated. He said KCR has compromised with the BJP on the issue after he met Prime Minister Narender Modi and other leaders during his Delhi visit. He said that Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay’s statements against KCR were completely farce. He said TRS and BJP were one and the same and both have sold out the interest of lakhs farmers to a few corporates.
The TPCC Chief said that the Congress party would intensify the agitation and take it to the highest level until the State Government withdraws its decision to shut down procurement centres. He said that the Congress cadre would continue their agitation until they make the State Govt buy every grain grown by farmers at MSP.
Speaking on the occasion, CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka said that a mask worn by TRS while supporting Bharat Bandh in favour of farmers has now been removed. He suspected a major conspiracy behind CM KCR anti-farmers decision. He said that the government should only work for people’s welfare and not function on profit-loss basis.
Uttam declares full-fledged battle to counter KCR’s anti-farmers’ decisions
