TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu has said 22,000 farmers have committed suicide in the last four years compared to nearly 15,000 during the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy regime.
The farm sector was pushed into an unprecedented crisis as the successive Congress governments implemented policies which favoured market forces more than those toiling in the fields.
Speaking during ‘Vastunna Meekosam Padayatra’ at Angalakuduru here on Saturday, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu said the setup of agricultural extension officers was destroyed and it badly affected the lab-to-land activities.
The much-touted ‘Jalayagnam’ became an avenue for the Congress leaders to swindle public money. The loss to exchequer on this count was a whopping Rs 85,000 crore.
Loan waiver is the only way to pull farmers out of the red. The Congress governments, which initially sounded sceptical about it, changed their mind as they were not prepared to concede any political space to the Opposition parties.
By implementing loan waiver, they wanted to endear themselves to the farmers. When TDP sought to get justice done to farmers, the ruling party leaders waged a false propaganda against it for settling political scores.
Mr. Naidu wondered how the government could grant huge subsidies to the industrial sector while showing an empty hand to farmers.
The farm sector is in desperate need of financial and technical support and the TDP would fight against the government’s step-motherly treatment to farmers, particularly the small and marginal ones.
Earlier, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu laid foundation for a Kisan Bhavan which marks the completion of 2,000 km of his tour.
The party leaders have made arrangements for Mr. Chandrababu Naidu to take the weekly break in Tenali on Sunday as was decided upon doctors’ advice. He will also be forced to suspend his programme during the two days preceding MLC elections scheduled to be held on February 21.
