Hyderabad: Congress to crusade against new agriculture policy in present form

Hyderabad: The Congress on Wednesday has demanded postponement implementation of new agriculture policy till next year and hold deliberations with all the stake holders immediately. It would launch an agitation if the government goes ahead with its ideas.

The PCC has met at Gandhi and discussed the new agriculture policy being proposed by the government. The meeting felt that there are lots of doubts on the agriculture policy being proposed by the government.

Later addressing the media, TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the party wants postponement of the implementation of the policy. All India Kisan Cell Vice Chairman M Kodanda Reddy, Covid-19 Task Force Chairman Marri Shashidhar Reddy, ex-minister G Chinna Reddy and AICC Secretary Vamshichand Reddy were also present.

Uttam informed that the party had a detailed discussion the proposed agricultural policy based on the information available in public domain. He said there were lot of doubts and apprehensions and no clarity on what the policy stands for. Therefore, he said that the policy was too faulty and could not be introduced and implemented at once. He said that the State Government did not consult anyone before trying to introduce a policy to regulate cropping pattern.

He said that the proposed policy should be implemented from next year as less than a week was left for beginning of sowing for Kharif season. At this stage, he said that the State Government could not force the farmers on cultivating the crops of its choice.

He said that the State Government could draft a comprehensive policy after holding discussion with farmers, scientists and opposition parties and start implementation from next year onwards. He said that the Congress party was strongly opposed to the proposed policy in its present form.

The TPCC Chief accused the Chief Minister of threatening the farmers of serious consequences if they refused to grow crops to be decided by State Government. He said it was unethical and illegal on the part of Chief Minister to threaten to stop financial assistance under Rythu Bandhu if farmers refused to follow regulated cropping pattern. He described the warnings as direct insult to all the farmers and said that the Congress party would launch an agitation to protect the rights and interests of Telangana farmers.