KCR to hold Cabinet meeting at 2 PM, likely to discuss on paddy row

Hyderabad: In a turn of developments, the Telangana Cabinet is scheduled to meet at 2 PM. The Cabinet is likely to discuss the Centre's stand on paddy procurement. The Cabinet is also likely to discuss the deadline given by the State government to the Centre over the paddy procurement. It is reported that the Cabinet will chalk out an action plan to mount more pressure on the Central government to purchase paddy from farmers.

The TRS who began their series of protests on April 4, concluded with a massive Deeksha in the National Capital demanding the Centre purchase the paddy from the farmers. During the speech in Deeksha, the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had also given a deadline to the Centre till Tuesday afternoon to purchase the paddy from State.

It is to mention here that, during the recently held Parliament sessions, Union Ministers Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Piyush Goyal made it clear that the Centre will not purchase the parboiled rice and they also mentioned that the Centre has already informed the State on the stand.

On Monday, TRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Monday came down heavily on the Central government over its attitude and denying the purchase the paddy from the State farmers. Addressing the gathering at TRS Deeksha held in Delhi began his speech by thanking Rakesh Tikait and the TRS cadre for taking part in Deeksha. He warned that Prime minister Narendra Modi that he can play with anyone but never play with farmers in the country.

He added that history tells that whichever the governments have played with farmers were ousted from power. He recalled that Union Minister Piyush Goyal insulted the farmers of Telangana by stating that Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy to tell the farmers to make a habit of eating raw rice. He said Telangana was merged with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana lost all the sources and all the development was stopped.

The farmers suffered a lot and many of them also committed suicide due to lack of water for their crops and also due to heavy debts. KCR said many students, people sacrificed their lives for the separate state of Telangana. He said after many sacrifices Telangana was formed in 2014 and people gave the mandate to TRS to form the government in the State. He added that after forming the government, TRS has always worked for the welfare of the farmers. He termed Union Minister Piyush Goyal as Piyush Golmaal adding that the Central minister has insulted the farmers on many occasions. KCR recalled how the farmers forced the Central government to repeal the three anti-farm laws after continuous protests for almost 13 months.

He said that the Kishan Reddy and BJP State chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar have forced people to produce paddy and assured that the Central government will purchase every grain from the government. He accused the BJP for holding Deeksha against the State government. Once Telangana decides to fight over an issue, will not rest until the issue is not solved.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi follows a strategy against the people of Telangana. He said that PM Modi wants votes and support but never wants to purchase the paddy from farmers. He said that the Central government is targeting the opposition by using the CBI ED and filing cases against them. He said that not a single BJP leader was quizzed nor grilled by these Centre's agents CBI and EDs.