Chittoor Gandhi striving for farmers’ cause

Chittoor: Venkatachalam Naidu, popularly known as Chittoor Gandhi, has given an ultimatum to District Collector Siddharth Jain stating that he would self immolate in front of Gandhi statue on October 2 if the government fails to concede his demand.

It may be recalled that Venkatachalam Naidu (55), a farmer of GD Nellore mandal, has been striving for the welfare of farmers for the past several years. He used to meet the Ministers and the Collectors and submit memoranda explaining the plight of the farmers . Speaking to The Hans India here on Sunday, Venkatachalam Naidu demanded that the government should revive the Chittoor Cooperative Dairy which was closed in 2002 .

He alleged that the Chief Minister has failed to protect the interests of the farmers of the district by closing Chittoor and Reniguntga Sugar Factories in the district. Recalling his experiences in fight against the erstwhile governments, Venkatachalam Naidu recalled that he met the then Chief Ministers YS Rajasekhara Reddy, K Rosaiah, N Kiran Kumar Reddy and present Chief Minister N Chandrabau Naidu and submitted memoranda for revival of Chittoor dairy and sugar factories, but in vain.

He said that his relentless fight against the government for the cause of farmers proved futile.

“My life is committed to the welfare of the farmers. Irrespective of support from others in the district I continued my fight not only for the farmers’ cause, but also for the revival of Chittoor dairy and sugar factories,” he said.