'Centre bowed down to KCR's threat, spiked farm laws'

Hyderabad: State Planning Commission deputy chairman and former MP B Vinod Kumar has claimed that the Centre repealed the three contentious farm laws only after the Maha Dharna, and warning of protests by TRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao at national level.

In a statement released on Sunday, Vinod Kumar accused the BJP government at the Centre of creating panic among farmers through farm laws. "Now, the Centre repealed them after our CM threatened to intensify the protests at national level for protection of farmers interests. We welcome the decision of the Modi government," he said, calling it as the victory of farmers who stayed a put through year-long protests.

"The Centre took a U-turn after the TRS government raised voice for paddy and Delhi protests by farmers," Kumar said, slamming the BJP leaders for spreading lies and misguiding farmers.

Hitting out at BJP State president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumarm he said, "While the BJP government said not to clear boiled rice and asked not to cultivate paddy, the State BJP leaders talk something else. The BJP government should avoid double standards on paddy issue."

"When the Centre says that paddy cultivation be discouraged, Sanjay asks farmers to take up the same. This is a confusing act as the State BJP president should know about the Centre's policies. Why Sanjay diverts attention of people and farmers instead of asking the BJP government to buy the paddy stocks?" the TRS leader said.

"The BJP leaders are doing politics on farmers' issues for their political gains," he alleged, demanding the Centre to buy the paddy produced in the State.

"The BJP government raised petrol prices many times," he said, while expressing concern. He also charged the Modi government with denying fertilisers to Telangana and accused it of diverting them to poll-bound States like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. "Bandi Sanjay follows a separate path, while the BJP national leaders go another way," he added.