Minister for Commercial Taxes T Srinivas Yadav today criticized the opposition parties for playing protest dramas on crop loan waiver issue.
Addressing the media at Secretariat here, he accused them of indulging in mud-slinging only to garner cheap publicity. Ministers will take up tours in the Assembly segments of opposition leaders to bring out facts on implementation of welfare schemes and expose their misdeeds, he said.
He refused to speak on Home Minister N Narsimha Reddy’s comment that he (Talasani) did not resign to his MLA post. ‘I will confine to crop loans issue’. Chief Minister K Chandasekhar Rao has already informed the house about the plans of waiving off the crop loans at one go, he said. Steps in that direction are being taken and will take a decision on getting funds to clear the arrears, he said. Lampooning the Opposition parties for not addressing the same problem during their rule, Yadav said that the Bandh is of no use though they have freedom to protest. He flayed them for criticizing in the morning for politics and coming to ministers in the evening for funds for welfare schemes.
BJP leaders in the state neither enjoy the public support in elections nor can impress upon Narendra Modi Government at the Centre to release Rs 8,500 crore towards crop loan waiver, he fumed. If Kishen Reddy and Lakshman can bring that funds from the Centre, we will repay, he said. ‘We are not afraid of the opposition persistent criticism as the government is aware of the problem and is keen to tide over the crisis’. The minister stated that 80 per cent of the Cabinet and MPs are farmers. The Government is not going back on its promise of waiving the rest of crop loans in one installment, Srinivas Yadav stated.
Ridiculing the Congress and TD for taking up State Bandh on the issue on October 10, being second Saturday, he said that the government is focusing on addressing key issues of water and power to agriculture sectors. This will help them stop from taking the extreme steps, he said. TD leaders should ask their party boss and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister whether he waived off the crop loans in that state, he suggested. To a query, he said that Rs 4,200 salary hiked for Asha workers who are protesting.(NSS)