Hyderabad: Paddy politics raises heat this winter

Hyderabad: For the first time in seven years since Telangana State was formed, the ruling party members, including ministers and public representatives took to streets demanding the Centre to procure paddy during rabi season.

Leader after leader, who spoke from various platforms across the State, claimed that this was just the beginning and more was in store. They would not rest till the Centre agrees to buy entire produce of paddy during rabi. The leaders, particularly the ministers and MLAs, lashed at the Centre. Ministers like KT Rama Rao and others charged the Centre with resorting to selling off even the profit-making public sector undertakings. "The Centre should feel ashamed for their bankrupt policies and inefficient administration. The country is 102 in terms of world hunger list behind Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan," said KTR.

MLA Rasmai Balakrishna said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not know what rice is since he consumes wheat.

He said that while Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao took Telangana on a path of development, BJP has sent some crazy people to Parliament. He was referring to the state BJP president Bandi Sanjay. He further said that BJP only knows how to create a wedge between people in the name of Hindu and Muslims.

Addressing party workers and leaders at Dharna Chowk in the city, Ministers K T Rama Rao, T Harish Rao, Talasani Srinivas Yadav and others said that BJP was branding opposition leaders as traitors. The Union Government, they alleged, was anti-farmer. It refuses to resolve the issue of farmers who have been protesting in the national capital for almost a year. The wrong policies adopted by the Centre has resulted in steep hikes in the rates of LPG gas cylinders, petrol and diesel. Harish Rao said that BJP had formed a fake social media college to spread false news against opponents. They said if the Centre still does not agree to buy 100% paddy in Telangana, they would hold protests in Delhi. The party MPs would raise all such issues in the ensuing session of Parliament as well, they added.