Congress senior leader and former chief whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy has launched indefinite hunger strike demanding that the State government come out with a plan to produce chilli in the state.
He said though the Central government made an announcement of giving ₹5,000 and ₹1,200 towards procuring chilli, not a single quintal was procured from farmers so far. The farmers were forced to sell their produce to traders at a lower rate.
Mr. Ramana Reddy had sat on a day-long hunger strike at Hanamkonda last week on the issue.
Moved by the plight of farmers, he said launched indefinite hunger strike. The state government and central governments should announce a plan to buy Chilli through government agencies and eliminate traders who were exploiting the situation. Mr. Reddy said the Chilli that commanded ₹ 7,000 to ₹17,000 last year was being bought at ₹2,000 to ₹ 3,000 at agricultural markets in the State. The farmers were desperate and resorting to distress sale. But the State government has not come out open on efforts being taken to rescue farmers.
“Not a minister or MLA visited any market where the farmers are protesting. Farmers are on their own staging protests but police are suppressing them. No minister or chief minister uttered a single word on ongoing plight of chilli farmers,” he said.
Former minister D. Sridhar Babu addressing the gathering said the ruling party leaders were content with issuing statements and making tall claims. But the situation on ground was different. It was high time that the government came out to help farmers. DCC president Naini Rajender Reddy and others were present.
