The Congress party on Saturday accused the State government of being “heartless and callous” in its response to the agrarian crisis in Anantapur district.
Addressing the one-day ‘Samuhika Satyagraham’ programme here, APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy came down heavily on the TDP government and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Party leaders Nadendla Manohar, Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy, K.V. P. Ramachandra Rao, Kondru Murali, and DCC presidents from all the 13 districts were present.
‘Conjoined twins’
“The State government is lax in sending a comprehensive report on drought to the Centre and seeking funds for drought mitigation works. Mr. Naidu and drought are like conjoined twins,” Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said sarcastically. The situation in Anantapur district turned dire and bordered on a humanitarian crisis, but the State government was yet to take the first step towards mitigation of drought, Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said.
The State government was trying to mislead the people, he charged, and cited as examples its promise on farm loan waiver, allowance to the unemployed, and driving away drought in four days using rain guns.
‘Year of battle’
“We declare this year as porata nama samvatsaram (a year of battle) with the aim of bringing pressure on the government to complete the irrigation projects that are under way in the State,” Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said.
Earlier, in his address, Mr. Manohar accused the government of whittling away the opportunity to implement the NREGS more effectively and use it as a tool for drought mitigation.
“Migration can be seen in all villages in the district,,” he said.
