TRS indifferent to farmers’ distress: Cong.

‘As many as 11 farmers committed suicide in Warangal district during the last 15 days’

Congress leaders visiting Enumamula agriculture market and interacting with cotton farmers in Warangal on Monday.

The ruling TRS government makes false claims of caring for farmers while cotton farmers resorted to suicide in the State, Congress party leaders said. Scores of Congress leaders visited the agriculture market at Enumamula on the city outskirts here and interacted with the cotton farmers on Monday.

Congress leaders M. Kodanda Reddy, Ponnala Laksmaiah, G. V. Ramana Reddy, Naini Rajender Reddy, D. Sitakka spoke to farmers hailing from different parts of the district. Cotton farmers were being paid ₹2,500 to ₹,600 far below than the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹4,300. The CCI had failed to come to their rescue, procuring just about 1,300 quintals of cotton.

Addressing the gathering, Ponnala Lakshmaiah said, during October and November there were 5.58 lakh bags of cotton in the market. But procurement was slow, and much to the surprise of farmers, the price was low as well.

The traders and officials colluded to make the farmers scapegoats, while the ruling party leaders still claimed to be a friend of farmers.

“This is an anti-farmer government. During the last two years, no fund was allocated for Market Intervention Scheme in the State. The Centre gives 50 per cent towards the scheme but the TRS government failed to utilise that to help the farmers here,” he pointed out.

As many as 11 farmers have committed suicide in Warangal district in the last 15 days. Neither the ruling party visited the aggrieved families nor made any statement to console the distressed farmers.

A total of 3,500 farmers have committed suicide since TRS came to power in Telangana. “The Mission Bhagiratha has become Mission Kalavakuntla, aimed at pocketing money. Mr. KCR is a liar who lies in the Assembly,” Ponnala Lakshmaiah said.

According to him, the State government reduced the loan waiver amount from ₹24,000 to just ₹17,000. It was not given one time but in four instalments. The Chief Minister said they would pay the interest part as well, but it was a lie.

Lakshmaiah said people in the State were disillusioned with the TRS and were looking up to the Congress party now.