Will expose anti-farmer policies of TRS, BJP: Congress

Hyderabad: Holding the Bharatiya Janata Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi responsible for the paddy crisis, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president A Revanth Reddy said that farmers in the country had won with the repeal of three controversial farm laws by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.

During the 'Kalla-lo-Congress' (Congress in fields) programme in Kamareddy district on Friday, Revanth along with party leader Shabbir Ali and others met farmers and enquired about their problems. The farmers from several parts of the district complained about huge losses they incurred during recent rains and the negligent attitude of the governments in addressing their issues.

They said that have been facing difficulties due to uncertainty over paddy cultivation. While many complained of non-payment of MSP for their produce, others rued about huge rise in input cost due to increase in prices of diesel.

The Congress leaders later met the family members of farmers Beeraiah in Ailapur village of Lingampet and Mettu Prabhakar of Nalla Madugu village who recently died, and extended financial assistance to the bereaved families.

Speaking to the media persons later, Revanth alleged that farmers in Telangana State were in deep distress due to the negligent attitude of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. He said that TRS government did not fulfil the promise of waiving off crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh despite completing three years in power during the second term. He said lakhs of farmers were not getting any crop loans due to non-clearance of old dues.

Alleging that both BJP and TRS were implementing anti-farmer policies to crush the agri-based economy to facilitate the entry of corporate sector, the TPCC chief announced that the Congress party would raise the issues concerning farmers of Telangana in the forthcoming session of Parliament.

Commenting on the announcement made by PM Modi on repeal of farm laws, he said that the announcement was incomplete and the repeal process needs to be completed in the Parliament.

"Repeal of three farm laws was just one of the demands raised by farmers. BJP government should pass a legislation ensuring MSP. Further, the government should also withdraw all cases registered during the agitation in the last one year besides paying adequate compensation to the families of nearly 750 farmers who lost their precious lives," Revanth demanded.