Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) staged protests across Telangana demanding the Congress government in the state pay bonus to farmers for the paddy irrespective of varieties as promised by it in the Assembly elections.
BRS leaders led the protests held in all Assembly constituencies on a call given by the party president and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Raising slogans against the ‘anti-farmer’ decisions of the government, protesters sat on the road at various places.
They demanded that the government procure paddy at Minimum Support Price (MSP) and pay Rs.500 per quintal bonus for even coarse rice.
The protesters alleged that the Congress party came to power by making promises but has now gone back on those promises.
The BRS leaders alleged that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has betrayed farmers by going back on the promise of Rs 500 bonus per quintal of paddy. Chandrashekar Rao had asked BRS leaders and workers to organise statewide protests and demonstrations.
He slammed Revanth Reddy for reneging on his promise of providing bonus to all paddy farmers, now stating it would only apply to fine varieties of paddy.
He alleged that the government has taken a U-turn on its promise to provide bonus to all farmers after the Lok Sabha elections and betraying the farmers’ trust.
The BRS chief said before Lok Sabha elections the Chief Minister had assured that the bonus will be paid to all paddy farmers but now, he is saying that bonus will be paid only for fine varieties of paddy.
“If this restriction had been announced before the elections, people would have taught a lesson to Congress. Now that the elections are over, the Congress has returned to its deceitful ways,” he said.
KCR claimed that farmers are unhappy with the Congress government as the Rythu Bandhu funds have still not been disbursed.
He alleged that farmers feel deceived by the government’s recent decisions. He pointed out that nearly 90 per cent farmers in Telangana cultivate coarse rice. He accused the Congress of exploiting farmers for political gains.
KCR accused the Congress of misleading farmers for political benefit without fulfilling its promises.
Reiterating the party’s commitment to fight on behalf of the farmers for their just demands, he alleged that the government is indifferent to the problems of farmers.
He also slammed the government for failing to procure paddy.
The former chief minister said the Congress government failed to provide investment support to farmers under the Rythu Bandhu scheme which was implemented by the previous BRS government.
He said the government also failed to implement the Rythu Bharosa scheme, under which it promised enhanced investment support.
BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao demanded the state government expedite paddy procurement as farmers had commenced harvesting around 25-30 days ago and were waiting for procurement.
Citing the ongoing protests by farmers across the state, Rama Rao said that the state government procure their paddy at the earliest.
The government should also initiate measures to procure paddy without removing wastage of 3-3.5 kg per quintal and to ensure justice to farmers for their produce.
KTR said that the BRS will stand with the farmers until the state government procures the entire produce including rain-soaked paddy.
