The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday launched a blistering attack on the TRS dispensation in the State accusing it of trying to shirk its bounden responsibility of ensuring minimum support price for farmers and leaving the peasants at the mercy of middlemen by toeing the line of the BJP regime at the Centre.
Mr Vikramarka led a huge rally christened Rythu Kavathu, organised by the District Congress Committee (DCC) here on Monday to express solidarity with the ongoing agitations by farmers against the Centre's new farm laws.
The “flag march” coincided with the 136th Foundation Day of the Congress party.
The main streets from Pavilion Grounds to the Dharna Chowk echoed with the slogans hailing farmers as “annadhatas” during the rally.
The CPI (M) district secretary N Nageswara Rao and the CPI district secretary P Prasad and others took part in the rally expressing their solidarity with the agitating farmers.
Addressing a huge gathering at the Dharna Chowk, Mr Vikramarka came down heavily on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao alleging that he took a u-turn within a few days after opposing the Centre's farm laws, in the aftermath of his return from New Delhi, by saying it was not possible for the State government to procure the farm produce any more.
The regulated farming policy was introduced by the TRS regime despite the objections raised by the Opposition parties, he said, alleging that the State government has ultimately withdrawn it in the face of mounting opposition to its illogical decision.
“The reason put forth by the government citing the huge expenditure incurred on account of the procurement of farm produce to substantiate its latest decision is deplorable,” the CLP leader said.
“The State government is not a business house and it is the duty of the elected government to see to it that farmers get MSP for their produce in a welfare State. It is not a new practice, even in the combined Andhra Pradesh also the successive governments had come to the rescue of farmers using the market intervention fund,” he noted.
Accusing the BJP dispensation at the Centre of trying to allow big corporate entities to exploit the farm sector at the expense of farmers, he alleged that the new farm laws will prove disastrous for farmers and the economy of the country as a whole.
