BJP Demands TRS Govt to Procure Paddy, Stage Dharna at all Collectorates

Hyderabad: The ruling TRS headed by the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the Opposition BJP indulged into petty politics particularly after the Huzurabad By-Election in which the BJP Candidate and former minister Eatala Rajender won. The Chief Minister has come out and alleged that the Centre is not cooperating in purchase of paddy while the BJP stage dharna at all the Collectorates demanding the State government to procure paddy today. In this scenario who is right and who is wrong? 

BJP Kisan Morcha led dharnas were held at all district collectorates in Telangana, demanding the State government to procure the grain produced by farmers during the monsoon season. They shouted slogans against the government. The BJP activists at all the district collectorate including Karimnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy were agitating. 

The BJP leaders alleged that the state government was harassing farmers without making proper arrangements even though the Center was ready to buy grain. They made it clear that the State government had to buy the grain and would continue their struggle till then. While the TRS government has deputed heavy police force at all the Collectorates to maintain law and order.

The Chief Minister claims that the Centre is not cooperating in purchase of paddy, while the Centre says farmers across the country including Telangana benefitted in Kharif marketing season to the tune of Rs. 41,066.80 crore. Chandrasekhar Rao says that his party will hold massive rallies with lakhs of people in 12 constituencies and if needed will go to Delhi and stage dharna.

The Centre claims that it had procured over 210 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from 13 states during Kharif 2021-22 including in Telangana benefitting 11.57 lakh farmers. The paddy procurement is progressing smoothly at MSP for farmers as was done in previous years.

The two political parties TRS and BJP are locking horns and they seem to transgress all limits of decency as far as the language is concerned. The Chief Minister calls BJP leaders “dogs”, BJP leaders say they will put the Chief Minister in jail. “Touch me and the State will be on boil” retorts Chief Minister. Both the parties are in power, one at Centre and one in State.

Can’t they come straight with facts and present their case effectively before the people and leave it to their wisdom to decide who is right and who is wrong?

The Centre says that as per the original MoU with the State government its commitment was to buy 40 lakh Metric Tonne of rice, in the midway the State government realized that the yield could by 108 Lakh Metric Tonne and hence the centre would first fulfil its commitment of buying 40 lakh Metric tonne. 

The Centre also says that the State has given in writing that it will not sell boiled rice in future and promised to set up rice bran oil mills and upgrade equipment to fortify rice kernels so that they do not break into small pieces during processing, can the state refute this?

The Chief Minister claims that the farmers in Telangana are very happy and are buying cars, but, every day we are seeing reports that farmers are complaining of lack of amenities at market yards. At one of the biggest agricultural markets in Asia, farmers are not able to find accommodation in the market and surrounding areas. Some farmers have committed suicide waiting at the market yards. Seeing all this, it appears that the TRS and BJP want to keep the poll heat to enthuse cadre. Another scenario could be that the BJP is creating a situation for TRS to turn against it just as it did with TDP during last general elections and leading to its near decimation.