TRS Govt is also anti-farmer, KCR always cheated farmers: Uttam

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & MP Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded that the BJP Government immediately withdraw the contentious new farm laws to protect the interest of farmers. He also urged Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao to convene a special session of Legislative Assembly to pass new laws to override BJP Govt's anti-farmer Acts.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Tuesday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the 'Bharat Bandh' was successful in Telangana as Congress cadre participated in protests across the State. Describing the three new farm laws as 'draconian', he condemned the BJP Government at the Centre for neglecting the interest of farmers only to benefit a few corporates like Adanis and Ambanis. He also alleged that the Modi Govt was trying to sabotage the farmers' agitation using false propaganda. He said that the Congress Party has fought inside and outside parliament for withdrawal of anti-farmer laws brought in by Modi Govt.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the new farm laws would benefit a few corporations like Ambanis, Adanis, Amazon and Walmart while the rights and interests of poor farmers would be suppressed. He said that the reluctance being shown by the BJP Government in not giving Constitutional protection to Minimum Support (MSP) clearly shows that it was giving more preference to corporates than farmers. Further, the Modi Govt appears to be in no mood to protect the farmers' interest in contract farming. He said that the new farm laws would only boost hoarding and food price inflation due to the abolition of the existing market yard system. Instead of addressing the concerns of farmers, the BJP Govt is trying to sabotage their agitation, he alleged.

The TPCC chief ridiculed the TRS party for its support to Bharat Bandh call given by the farmers. He alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao was an equal partner with PM Modi in committing crimes against the farmers. He reminded that the TRS Government implicated chilli farmers of Khammam in false cases, arrested, hand-cuffed and chained only for holding protests demanding better price for their produce. He said Medak farmers were brutally beaten up when they complained against erratic power supply. He said that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao displaced lakhs of farmers by forcibly taking away their lands in the name of Pharma City and other projects.

Further, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the TRS Govt was yet to fulfill the promise of waiving off crop loans up to Rs. 1 lakh although it completed nearly two years in power in the second term. He alleged that the Regulated Cropping system, forcibly imposed by CM KCR, ruined the lives of lakhs of farmers who cultivated superfine varieties of paddy, instead of regular varieties. Those who cultivated 'sanna rakala vadlu', which involved higher investment and less yield, suffered losses of Rs. 10,000 per acre. But TRS Govt did not purchase the 'sanna rakala vadlu' by paying at least Rs. 2,500 per quintal.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that farmers of Telangana got no crop insurance due to the negligence of TRS Govt. He said that the KCR Government did not even enumerate the damage caused to crops due to heavy rains and floods. Standing crops spread across over 40 lakh acres was reportedly damaged, fully or partially, due to heavy rains and floods. The losses were estimated around Rs. 5,000 crore. However, he said that the KCR Govt made no efforts to assess the damages and help the affected farmers. He said that it was strange that CM KCR, who is directly responsible for creating farm crisis in Telangana, has announced the support for Bharat Bandh call.

The TPCC Chief said that CM KCR should convene a special session of Legislative Assembly to pass a unanimous resolution against the three new 'anti-farmers' laws introduced by the BJP Government at the Centre. Further, he demanded that the TRS Govt pass new laws in the State Legislature under Article 254(2) of the Constitution to override the Central laws. He said that the TRS Govt should emulate Congress-ruled States to protect the interest of farmers in Telangana.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also appealed to the Congress cadre to help the poor and needy on the occasion of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's birthday on December 9 instead of organising other programmes which involve wastage of money.

AICC Secretary Madhu Yashki Goud, TPCC Minorities Dept Chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail and other senior leaders were also present.