BRS calls for protests across Telangana over farmers' issue

Hyderabad, May 16 (IANS) The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) called for protests across Telangana on Thursday against the "anti-farmer" approach of the Congress government in the state.

Alleging that the Congress has once again betrayed farmers, BRS President K. Chandrasekhar Rao appealed to the party cadres to organise protests in all constituencies.

The former Chief Minister recalled the promise of the Congress government that after the Parliamentary elections, it will pay a Rs 500 bonus per quintal for paddy but now Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is saying that the bonus will be paid only for fine quality paddy, terming it a "betrayal of farmers".

KCR, as Chandrasekhar Rao is called popularly, said 90 per cent of farmers who don’t grow fine quality paddy will be deprived of bonuses and after the polling, the Congress has again cheated the farmers.

He said if the government had made this announcement before the elections, the farmers would have taught it a lesson.

He said the Congress government has failed to provide investment support to farmers under the Rythu Bandhu scheme which was implemented by the previous BRS government. The Congress government has also failed to implement the Rythu Bharosa scheme, under which it promised enhanced investment support.

Earlier, BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao demanded that the Congress set aside politics and focus on administration as the Lok Sabha elections have ended. He demanded that the state government expedite paddy procurement as farmers had commenced harvesting around 25-30 days ago and were waiting for procurement.

The government should also initiate measures to procure paddy without removing wastage of 3-3.5 kg per quintal and to ensure justice to farmers for their produce, he said, adding that his BRS would stand with the farmers until the state government procures the entire produce including rain-soaked paddy.