BJP should protest in Delhi on paddy row: Palla Rajeshwar Reddy

Hyderabad: The TRS leadership on Thursday demanded that the Centre procure paddy from the State. It asked the State BJP leaders to take up protests in Delhi instead of in Telangana districts.

Addressing the media at Telangana Bhavan here, Rythu Bandhu Samithi president and MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy took exception to the Centre denying to lift paddy from the State. He accused the BJP leaders of staging dramas in the name of dharnas at district collectorates on the issue. Reddy hit out at the Centre and the BJP leaders in the State for adopting double standards. He expressed surprise that the Centre too was involved in double standards. "While the Centre procures 100 per cent paddy from Punjab, it denies to do so from the State", Reddy lamented. "Why the Centre is refusing to take our stocks", he asked. The State BJP leaders should take up protests in the national capital instead of State districts, he suggested.

"The Centre cannot disown its responsibility to take paddy from the State", he said. "It is not correct to ignore its constitutional duty to pick up stocks from the States, the TRS leader stated. The TRS leaders will participate in dharnas against this adamant attitude of the Centre in all districts and mandals on November 12. If necessary, TRS boss and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will attend protests in Delhi, he said. Ministers, MLAs, MPs will participate in protests in the State. He said officials in mandals and villages were engaged in paddy procurement with all arrangements. So far 5.1 lakh MT paddy was procured in 6,663 purchase centres. The Centre should procure the same and the TRS will continue the protests".