Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for “causing total confusion in the administration and fear among the farmers on the call to halt cultivating paddy this agriculture season”.
“Mr. Rao should explain why this “vari bandh” (ban on paddy) was being advocated and the motive behind this as it had led to distress among the farming community. Collectors and Ministers were speaking on different voices, with one advising growing paddy and another threatening if it was done. “We are demanding strong action against collectors, brazenly warning farmers and announcing disregard to the courts,” said party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar.
The Karimnagar MP, who took up a protest fast in support of the farmers at the State office from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., demanded that the Chief Minister immediately write to the Centre indicating the extent of paddy TS was ready to give to the Central pool and then, the BJP State leadership would ensure that such quantity was procured.
“What is Mr. Rao’s problem when the Centre does paddy procurement and pays for everything from the minimum support price to the market cess, transport, labour charges and gunny bags? Did the Centre give any letter refusing to purchase the raw rice, and, if so, he should make it public. What will the farmers do if they are told to stop cultivating paddy all of a sudden? Will they be asked to run liquor shops,” he asked.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao’s “confused and contradictory” stands on agriculture like egging on farmers to grow cotton once, asking them to desist soon after, supporting chilli and reverting, asking them to grow fine rice and going back on the word to purchase every single grain, propagating maize and withdrawing over the years, had led to heartburn and even suicides among the farmers, he claimed.
Promises of loan waiver and free fertiliser supply were not fulfilled and other farm subsidies were halted after ‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme, he charged and sought to know why thousands of crores of rupees were being spent on the Kaleshwaram project if the water was not to be utilised for growing the crops of farmers’ choice. “Let the Government release a white paper on the funds spent for agriculture,” he said.
Farmers should have been given at least one year if the government wanted to advocate alternative crops during which awareness campaigns, infrastructure support and necessary training should be taken up rather than using forcible methods, added Mr. Sanjay Kumar. Senior leaders Malla Reddy, Premender Reddy, Sudhakar Reddy, Vijayarama Rao and Manohar Reddy were present.
