Hyderabad: TRS vows no let-up in paddy protests

Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy on Thursday said that the TRS leaders would not relent and continue their protest for the cause of farmers.

A TRS delegation, led by party secretary-general K Keshava Rao, reached Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan after the 'Maha Dharna'. Talking to reporters after giving a representation to her, Reddy said that they had urged the Governor to recommend to the Centre to address the paddy row.

The minister said the Governor had expressed concern over the row and offered help. The Governor said there should not be any confusion among farmers on the issue, he said. Reddy also said that she informed them that she will send a letter to the Centre to give clarity and help farmers clear rice stocks.

"We hope that the Governor will address the letter, as we submitted a memorandum and appealed personally. She responded positively to find an amicable solution," Reddy stated.

The minister said the delegation had represented to the Governor on issues raised by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao during the 'Maha Dharna'. He alleged that the Centre was trying to misguide people as there was no clarity. "The Centre has to clarify whether it would clear rice stocks from the State. We produce about 1.50 lakh mt of paddy grains in about 70 lakh acres in the State. Where will the food grains go if the Centre fails to take them? Why does the Modi government buy Punjab rice and not the same from our State," he questioned.

The minister expressed displeasure at a reaction by the Centre to clear some stocks and not boiled rice from the State. He lashed out at the BJP leaders stating that the 'cattle-less Kishan Reddy' and 'cart-less Bandi' were going to the paddy procurement centres creating ruckus demanding the government to procure paddy, which is 'ridiculous'.