Uttam & Co gatecrashes chilli yard

​Warangal: TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded the Chief Minister, K Chandrashekar Rao, to break his silence and respond to the woes of chilli farmers distressed due to lack of profitable price.

It was sad and inhuman that the CM and ministers concerned were acting in a negligent manner towards farmers’ issues. Owing to the governments’ apathy, lakhs of farmers were staging protests at Enumamula agriculture market and across the State, the Congress leader noted.

Uttam Kumar Reddy along with the party senior leaders like D Sridhar Babu, G Vijayarama Rao, G Venkata Ramana Reddy, R Kantha Rao, Errabelli Swarna, district Congress president N Rajender Reddy, City Congress leaders Rajanala Srihari and K Srinivas Rao visited Enumamula agriculture market in Warangal on Monday.

When Sridhar Babu and others first arrived at the market, the police prevented from entering into the market saying that there was permission for only 50 persons to go into the market. However, the party leaders and workers in large numbers gate crashed into the market as the TPCC chief arrived.

The visiting Congress leaders went around the market and interacted with the farmers. Later speaking to presspersons, Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded the State and Central governments to come to the rescue of chilli and red gram farmers.

He wanted a price of Rs 12,000 per quintal chilli and Rs 5,500 per quintal red gram along with Rs 450 bonus offered to the farmers. The police arrested Uttam Kumar Reddy and others when they staged a protest at the market office, took them to Mills Colony police station and released later.

The TPCC president revealed that the party would intensify agitations on farmers’ issues in the State.
A series of protests from Tuesday onwards will be staged across the State until the TRS government responds to the issue of offering profitable price to chilli, red gram and other farm produce. ‘It is a practice whichever government is in the power to intervene whenever prices of commercial crops fall’.

But the TRS government remained mute on the issue because of its lack of experience, understanding and lack of priority to agriculture sector, Uttam Kumar Reddy told The Hans India. Refuting the charges that Congress is politicising farmers’ issues he said the party is only reminding the government of its duty.

Since the State government is in deep slumber, the Congress as a responsible opposition trying to wake it up. Instead of offering succour to distressed farmers, the TRS leadership is according priority to its plenary and public meetings.

Entire Telangana community has to condemn the government’s attitude towards farmers, he said.
‘While entering Warangal city I have seen traffic junctions and roads being developed. The local leaders told me that it is being done for the party’s April 27 public meeting and huge amounts of public money is being spent in decorating city,’ he lamented.

Referring to Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao’s charges that Congress is obstructing irrigation projects, the Congress chief said the farmers who are unwilling to alienate their lands for poor compensation are going to courts. Congress is supporting their cause.

Harish Rao should stop spreading false propaganda against Congress, he suggested. Ex-minister P Balram Naik, DCC Bank chairman J Raghava Reddy, MLA D Madhava Reddy, ex-MLA P Veeraiah, party leaders EV Srinivasa Rao, G Jyothyi, M Vinod Kumar, N Srinivas and others were present.

Later on the day, the TPCC chief along with district Congress president Rajender Reddy and others visited and consoled the bereaved families of the party workers M Santhosh Kumar Goud and Pruthivi Raj, who passed away recently.