TDP leaders stage demonstration outside Legislature over crisis in farm sector

Speaker rejects adjournment motion moved by TDP MLAs to have a discussion on the issue

TDP legislators led by N. Lokesh staging a protest near the Assembly on Monday. | Photo Credit: K.V.S. Giri

Telugu Desam Partry (TDP) MLAs and MLCs staged a demonstration outside the State Legislature on Monday in protest against the ‘government’s indifference to the crisis in the agriculture sector’ and the plight of lakhs of farmers.

Participating in the protest, TDP national general secretary N. Lokesh, MLC B. Arjunudu and MLAs K. Atchannaidu, Nimmala Rama Naidu, Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary and N. Chinarajappa deplored the government’s ‘negligent attitude’ and demanded that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should see for himself the problems being faced by farmers.

An adjournment motion moved by the TDP MLAs in the Assembly to have a discussion on the same subject was rejected by Speaker Thammineni Seetharam.

Meanwhile, a group of farmers tried to lay siege to the Legislature with the demand that the government must take urgent steps to solve their problems. But they were hauled up by the police.

Addressing the media, Ichchapuram MLA Bendalam Ashok and his Undi counterpart Mantena Ramaraju said the ‘sordid state of affairs in the farm sector was evident from the dubious distinction earned by Andhra Pradesh in farmer suicide. ‘

They said Andhra Pradesh stood second in suicides by tenant farmers and in overall third place in farmer suicide. Payments for paddy procured were delayed by several months and there were several other issues which the government has failed to sort out. Farm mechanisation has made little progress and the much-hyped Rythu Bharosa Kendras have proved to be of not much use to farmers, they said.