Telangana's turmeric farmers initiate a unique protest against the BJP leadership.

Telangana: MP Arvind , Union Minister Rajnath Singh , Ram Madhav promised to the Nizamabad Turmeric Farmers of Establishing Turmeric Board during 2019 Parliament Polls

*There is no proposal to establish a Turmeric Board or any other spice-specific Board in the country". said Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel in parliament on Wednesday *

Arvind Dharmapuri on a judicial bond paper promised to get a turmeric board within 5 days of winning elections in 2019 and would resign if failed to do so,

On March 31, 2023, Nizamabad woke up with posters mocking the BJP, after the Centre denied Turmeric Board to the farmers, as a poll promise. The Yellow Color hoarding with Telugu text read,

Turmeric Board brought by our hon'ble Nizamabad MP'

As the turmeric farmers begin their unusual protest after a BJP MP who pledged to get a turmeric board within 5 days of winning elections failed to get the board in 4.5 years, the posters have taken Nizamabad and Telangana by storm. The BJP MP even stated that he would resign from his position in Parliament and join the farmer's and people's campaign if he couldn't keep his word. Arvind made the promise in writing in March 2019 and even signed it with a non-judicial (bond) stamp. His associates printed copies of the pledge and distributed them throughout the turmeric-growing regions of the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency. Senior BJP leaders who supported the pledge included Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Ram Madhav, and others.

The issue was brought to light when while replying 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".

Kalvakuntla Kavitha, BRS MLC, and former Nizamabad MP questioned sitting BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri about his promises to bring the turmeric board to the district in the year 2022. Kavitha made the observation that 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.

Following the clarification provided by the Centre that the Turmeric Board would not be granted to Telangana, the Turmeric Farmers of Nizamabad decided to voice their displeasure and remind Member of Parliament Arvind Dharmapuri of his broken promise. After the BJP government at the Centre shattered all expectations for the Turmeric Board, the farmers of Nizamabad put up posters mocking the Nizamabad MP from the BJP. These posters highlighted his empty promises and his failure to secure one turmeric board for the farmers of Nizamabad.