· TPCC Chief, Shabbir Ali participates in ‘Kalla-lo- Congress’ in Kamareddy
· PM Modi’s announcement of repeal of farm laws incomplete: Shabbir Ali
Kamareddy, November 19: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & MP A. Revanth Reddy, along with TPCC Political Affairs Committee Convener Mohammed Ali Shabbir, launched the ‘Kalla-lo-Congress’ programme in Kamareddy district on Friday to meet and interact with farmers at their fields about their problems.
Accompanied with DCC Presidents and other important leaders, TPCC Chief Revanth Reddy and former minister Shabbir Ali interacted with farmers in Baswapur, Rameshwarpally, Jangampally, Bhiknoor Town, Kamareddy Town, Bhavanipet, Palvancha, Tadvai, Lingampet, Lingampalli, Nalla Madugu and Shettali Sangareddy. They met paddy farmers who complained to them of the huge losses they incurred due to the loss of crops due to recent heavy rains.
They met the family of farmer Beeraiah in Ailapur village of Lingampet who recently died of a heart attack on his paddy field. They also met the family of another farmer Mettu Prabhakar of Nalla Madugu village who died due to a snake bike. Financial assistance was given to both the families on behalf of the Congress party.
The farmers explained the difficulties they have been facing due to uncertainty over paddy cultivation. Many farmers complained of non-payment of MSP for their produce while a few complained about the huge rise in input cost due to the increase in prices of diesel.
Speaking to media persons later, Revanth Reddy alleged that farmers in Telangana State were in deep distress due to the negligent attitude of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao. He said that TRS Govt did not fulfill the promise of waiving off crop loans up to Rs. 1 lakh despite completing nearly three years in power in the second term. He said lakhs of farmers were not getting any crop loans due to the non-clearance of old dues.
Revanth Reddy accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM KCR of pushing farmers into huge economic distress. He said both BJP Govt at the Centre and TRS Govt in Telangana were implementing anti-farmer policies so as to crush the agri-based economy which would consequently facilitate the entry of the corporate sector.
The TPCC Chief announced that the Congress party would raise the issues concerning farmers of Telangana in the forthcoming session of Parliament. He strongly condemned CM KCR and Telangana BJP for jointly conspiring to destroy the paddy farmers of Telangana. He said both TRS and BJP Govts want paddy farmers to give up cultivation and surrender before big companies by accepting corporate/regulated farming. He said CM KCR staged a ‘drama’ and not dharna at Indira Park on Thursday.
Revanth Reddy said that lakhs of farmers suffered huge losses due to natural calamities like drought or heavy rains in the last seven years. However, he said not a single farmer of Telangana ever got any compensation either from the State or Central Govt.
Speaking on the occasion, Shabbir Ali alleged that TRS-BJP has succeeded in creating confusion among paddy farmers of Telangana. Their protests were aimed at not helping the farmers, but terrorising them with the message that neither Centre nor State Govt will buy their produce. “KCR need not sit on a dharna in Hyderabad. He should seek an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss paddy procurement. If KCR, as a Chief Minister, is unable to convince the Centre to procure entire paddy, then he must resign immediately,” he said.
The Congress leader demanded that CM KCR should make it clear whether farmers should cultivate paddy or not in Yasangi season? “Will the State Govt procure entire paddy at the Minimum Support Price or not? If farmers give up paddy and take alternate crops, will the State Govt pay compensation and purchase the alternate crops at MSP?” he asked. Further, he said BJP Govt should issue a single line statement clarifying whether or not it will unconditionally procure entire paddy from Telangana farmers at MSP?
Commenting on the announcement made by PM Modi on the repeal of three new 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 Govt should pass legislation ensuring MSP. Further, the government should also withdraw all the 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,” he demanded.
