BRS intensifies statewide protests over farmers’ issues, land grievances

The BRS continued its statewide protests for a second day, raising farmers’ issues in rural Telangana and land grievances in urban areas. Party leaders targeted the Congress government over farm loan waiver, Rythu Bharosa, irrigation projects, urea shortages and land issues.

Hyderabad: The BRS continued its statewide protests for a second consecutive day on Thursday, focusing on farm distress in rural Telangana and land-related grievances in urban centres. The protests targeted the Congress government’s failures during its 1,000 days in office. BRS leaders and cadre, along with farmers, took out massive rallies and staged road blockades, raising slogans against the anti-farmer policies of the Congress government.

Farmers’ issues took a front seat during the protests in rural areas. In Medak, former Minister T Harish Rao attended a farmers’ meeting at Kaudipally. He said the 1,000-day rule of the Congress was confined to conspiracies, land encroachments and settlements, rather than addressing farmers’ issues. He said the Congress government was resorting to political vendetta against the erstwhile Medak district, without taking up the ongoing and pending irrigation projects.

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He dared Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to an open debate on pending promises to farmers, including partial farm loan waiver, partial disbursement of Rythu Bandhu and scrapping of Rythu Bima, among others. “Revanth Reddy asked unemployed youth to drink pesticide and called engineering students criminal waste. But he is the criminal waste of Telangana and he will be kept in the prohibited list by people of the State in next Assembly elections,” he declared.

Former Minister and Balkonda MLA Vemula Prashanth Reddy participated in the farmers’ meet held at Velpur crossroads in Balkonda constituency, protesting against the injustice meted out to farmers under the Congress regime. He said the ruling Congress had failed on all fronts and, instead of fulfilling its promises, was causing unnecessary hardship to farmers.

At the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) head regulator near Sindhanur in Jogulamba Gadwal district, BRS workers demanded the release of water to the RDS ayacut and action against the alleged diversion of river water by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. They also raised the shortage of urea and irrigation-related concerns.

Former Minister V Srinivas Goud, speaking at a farmers’ meeting in Mahbubnagar, alleged that farmers were facing shortages of urea and power. He also accused the government of failing to implement the promised Rs 2 lakh loan waiver, Rythu Bharosa and Rythu Bima, and of failing to procure farmers’ produce.

Former Minister Jogu Ramanna joined a protest in Boraj, Adilabad, over what the party termed the destruction of agriculture. In Nizamabad, former MLA Bajireddy Goverdhan participated in a farmers’ protest at Varni. Former MLA Gampa Govardhan attended a farmers’ meeting in Domakonda, Kamareddy.

Former Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao led a farmers’ protest at the incomplete oil palm factory in Gopalagiri village, sanctioned by the previous BRS government, accusing the ruling Congress of delaying the works. Farmers also took out a rally along the SRSP Phase-2 canal from Peddavangara sub-canal to Kishtu Thanda.

Former MLA Chittem Ram Mohan Reddy led a rally at Maganur in Narayanpet, while former MLA Ala Venkateshwar Reddy participated in a protest at Chinna Chintakunta.

In urban areas, land issues became a major plank. In Siddipet, BRS held a protest demanding revision of lands placed in the 22A prohibited list. In Kothagudem, BRS Parliamentary party leader Vaddiraju Ravichandra and former Minister Vanama Venkateswara Rao backed a protest seeking removal of private lands from the 22A list and possession certificates for residents of Ramavaram. The protesters also demanded implementation of GO 76 and distribution of house-site pattas. Similar protests were held in Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal and other urban areas.

The BRS said the protests would continue until the government addressed the issues raised by farmers and landholders.