Ponnam accuses CM of weakening farm sector

Congress former MP Ponnam Prabhakar has alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has been weakening the agriculture sector and increased price of seed.

Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan here on Saturday, Ponnam alleged that the TRS government, which failed to increase minimum support price, colluded with seed companies and encouraged the latter to increase prices of seed. Questioning the State government as to why it kept Seed Act aside, Ponnam said the State government failed to initiate steps to prevent the distressed farmers from burning their chilli crop in protest against low chilli price quoted in the market agricultural committees. Asking about KCR’s Market Stabilization Fund, Ponnam said that TRS leaders were celebrating ‘Palabhishakams’ to the Chief Minister KCR’s portraits but not bothered about the burning problems of millions of farmers in the State.

The former MP also demanded that the Ministers extend a helping hand to the farmers if they were sincere and sympathetic towards the toiling tillers. Dubbing Chief Minister KCR as “Sannasi”, Ponnam asked the former whether he was not in a position to see suicides of farmers in the State. He assured the farmers that the Congress party would soon launch a movement on their behalf. (NSS)