BRS ridicules Congress govt’s Rythu Panduga, demands apologies for betraying farmers

BRS leaders T Harish Rao and S Niranjan Reddy slammed the Congress government for holding Rythu Panduga celebrations without fulfilling farmer promises. They demanded an apology and accused the ruling party of betraying farmers with reduced aid and unfulfilled guarantees.

Hyderabad: BRS ridiculed the Congress government for organising Rythu Panduga celebrations, without implementing its electoral promises to farmers. Senior leaders T Harish Rao and S Niranjan Reddy demanded that the Congress government apologise to farmers for betraying them, rather than indulge in theatrics ahead of local body elections.

Senior BRS MLA and former Minister T Harish Rao said the Congress was staging yet another election-time drama in the name of Rythu Panduga celebrations while ignoring farmers for the past 19 months. Instead of organising the celebrations, he felt that the government should be ashamed of its failures. “What are you celebrating, Revanth Reddy?” he asked, listing out numerous unkept promises to farmers by the Congress.

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He reminded that the Congress had not only reduced Rythu Bharosa amount from the promised Rs 15,000 per acre to Rs 12,000 per acre, but also deprived it for tenant farmers altogether, despite its electoral promise.

The former Minister said the government also failed to pay the promised bonus to the fine variety paddy, did not implement the Warangal Farmers Declaration, denied crop insurance and Rythu Bima life insurance to farmers, pushing them into a debt trap again.

“You did not build a single check dam or a tank, and provided fresh irrigation for even one acre,” he charged.

Harish Rao also accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of arresting protesting farmers and insulting them with meagre relief, even after 511 farmers committed suicide under the Congress rule. In sharp contrast with the BRS regime, he pointed out that former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao released Rythu Bandhu financial assistance to farmers at the beginning of sowing seasons, while the Congress is providing Rythu Bharosa only during elections.

“This is not the time for celebration, but the Congress to apologise and act upon its promises,” he added.

Former Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said the Congress government evaded full disbursement of Rythu Bharosa financial assistance to farmers over the last 19 months, for four consecutive installments. He said the government owes a total of Rs 30,000 per acre for over 1.5 crore acres. He questioned whether Rythu Panduga celebrations are meant to commemorate the government’s failure to honour its electoral promises.

“The Congress has been unable to deliver any of its poll promises to farmers. In just 18 months, the government has undone the good work carried out by the previous BRS government and has now, pushed agriculture back into a crisis, putting farmers’ lives at risk,” he said.