Nizamabad: Farmers mock MP Arvind by setting up posters on turmeric board promise

Nizamabad: The irked farmers reacting to non-response from Union government over Telangana's appeal to sanction a turmeric board in Nizamabad and especially failure of BJP MP from Nizamabad D Arvind in fulfilling his promise of getting the board approved, turmeric farmers have set up "yellow boards" across the districts, mocking the MP about his assurance.

It is to mention here that during 2019 Parliament elections, the BJP candidate from Nizamabad D Arvind and Union Minister Rajnath Singh and senior leader Ram Madhav had promised the turmeric farmers to set up a Turmeric Board.

Arvind had even promised on a judicial bond paper that he would prevail upon the Union Government and get the turmeric board approved within five days of winning the elections in 2019. He also promised that he would resign if he failed to get the turmeric board for the benefit of farmers.

However, despite repeated pleas from the Telangana Government and farmers, the Union Government has been rejecting the appeals, citing different reasons.

Reminding the Nizamabad MP of his poll promise, posters and hoardings mocking the BJP, with Telugu text read,

'Turmeric Board. Turmeric Board brought by our Nizamabad MP', surfaced across the district.

This was after the Union Government on Wednesday said in the Lok Sabha that there was no proposal to set up turmeric board.

In reply to a question raised by BRS MPs Venkatesh Netha Borlakunta, Kavitha Malothu, Dayakar Pasunoori, and Gaddam Ranjith Reddy on the constraints that the Centre was facing to set up the Turmeric Board in Nizamabad, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel said: "Spices Board, a statutory autonomous body, set up under the Spices Board Act, 1986 is entrusted with the responsibility of promoting 52 spices including turmeric, coriander, and chilies. Therefore, there is no proposal to establish a Turmeric Board or any other spice-specific Board in the country".

Taking serious objection to the BJP Government's stand on the issue, BRS MLC and former Nizamabad MP K Kavitha had earlier questioned sitting BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri about his promises to bring the turmeric board to the district in the year 2022.

Kavitha said Arvind had been unsuccessful in convincing the union government to set up a turmeric board in the district.

In light of disclosures produced using an RTI, Kavitha asked the BJP Nizamabad MP the justification for denying the farmers and people of Nizamabad their basic dues.

She also said that the MP was making exaggerated claims about the allocation of Rs 100 crore when, under his administration, every farmer only received Rs 200 from the turmeric board.

Kavitha recalled MP Arvind Dharmapuri and the BJP's lofty but erroneous promises to the Nizamabad people to just win an election and tamper with their hopes and needs.