Hyderabad: Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy slammed BJP State president Bandi Sanjay for his lack of knowledge about agriculture and yet making irresponsible statements against the State government.He demanded that Sanjay who started ruckus over the paddy cultivation two months ago, must put an end to it by convincing the Centre to give a clarity […]
Hyderabad: Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy slammed BJP State president Bandi Sanjay for his lack of knowledge about agriculture and yet making irresponsible statements against the State government. He demanded that Sanjay who started ruckus over the paddy cultivation two months ago, must put an end to it by convincing the Centre to give a clarity on paddy procurement during the upcoming Yasangi (Rabi) season.
Speaking to the media here on Sunday, Jagadish Reddy said that the State government had urged farmers to cultivate alternative crops only after the Centre refused to purchase paddy during the Yasangi season. However, he accused the BJP State president of unnecessarily politicising the issue and instigating the farmers to cultivate paddy, stating that he would force the government to purchase the Yasangi crop, without an understanding of the agriculture especially the paddy produce for Yasangi season.
“Farmers start sowing Yasangi crops especially paddy this month. Hence, they should be informed whether the Centre would procure their paddy produce or not. In case the Centre refuses, they will be able to take up cultivation of alternative crops. But Bandi Sanjay is claiming that these issues can be discussed during harvesting in February. If the Centre refuses to purchase paddy in February, who will be responsible for the losses suffered by farmers?,” he said. He said the State government was prepared to convince the farming community to cultivate any crop and in any extent of area as per the Centre’s needs.
The Minister said the Centre must clarify whether it would purchase raw rice or parboiled, coarse variety or fine variety, and would even purchase or not. He stated that while the Union Ministers and officials are refusing to purchase parboiled rice, BJP State leaders are claiming that they would force the government to purchase them. “Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had demanded that the Union Ministers clarify on the confusion created by the BJP State leaders,” he said, adding that Sanjay demanded the State government to open threshing floors when he was standing in the threshing floors opened by the State government, during his recent tour in Nalgonda and Suryapet districts. Jagadish Reddy also urged people especially farmers to observe the political drama being enacted by the BJP-led Union government and the party State leaders. He stated that the BJP leadership is not concerned about the fate of farmers. They make false allegations and also promises as long as it favours their vote bank. He pointed out that the BJP leaders were chased by farmers recently and forced them to apologise at the national level and would soon send them home.
MLAs Gyadari Kishore, Gongidi Sunitha, Methuku Anand, Kancherla Bhupal Reddy and former MLC M Sreeinivas Reddy, also were present.
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