Harish Rao asks Piyush Goyal to apologise for ‘broken rice’ comments
Says the union Minister is ignorant about the pain and struggle of farmers
Hyderabad: Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Friday demanded an unconditional apology from union Food Minister Piyush Goyal for insulting the people of Telangana when he suggested that they consume broken rice. “The TRS condemns the union Minister’s remarks against Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao who only requested the BJP government at the Centre to procure the entire paddy crop produced in the State. The party will announce its action plan on paddy procurement after April 2, Harish Rao said,” speaking to media persons at Telangana Bhavan here.
Expressing astonishment at Goyal’s comments asking Telangana citizens to consume broken rice, the Minister said: “He called us ‘nasamajhwale’ (ignorant), but according to me, he (Goyal) is the one who is ignorant about the pain and struggle of farmers who toil for days to produce crops.” The Minister went on to add that if required, the people of Telangana will eat broken rice if it will ensure the downfall of the BJP at the Centre in their fight for justice.
Harish Rao wondered what union Minister G Kishan Reddy was doing while his Cabinet colleague was insulting the people of Telangana. He also demanded to know where the BJP State leaders were after making tall claims that the Centre will procure every grain of paddy produced in Telangana.
Castigating the union Minister for his remarks that the Centre would not waste taxpayers’ money on procuring parboiled rice ‘which was of no use,’ he pointed out that the BJP government which waived off over Rs 11 lakh crore of loans pertaining to corporates, was hesitating to spend a few crores to protect the interests of farmers. “What is stopping the Centre which repealed the Farm Laws from cancelling the agreement signed with Telangana State for the supply of only raw rice? And what is stopping the Centre from addressing the challenges arising out of WTO restrictions against rice exports,” he asked.
Goyal, replying to a query raised by TRS Parliamentary Party leader K Keshav Rao and BJD MP Sasmit Patra in Rajya Sabha, said the Telangana government had given in writing that it will not supply parboiled rice, but raw rice to the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The FCI has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with all States and asked them to procure parboiled rice or raw rice as per local demand, but supply the surplus paddy in the form of raw rice to the Central pool, he said.
Citing Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s letter to the Centre requesting for paddy procurement in Telangana to be undertaken like in Punjab, Piyush Goyal claimed that the Centre was procuring rice from Telangana as was done in Punjab. He said rice from Punjab was supplied as per the MoU and the grain can be ‘sold or distributed’ across the country. He reiterated that the FCI has been procuring raw rice and not paddy from the States for the last several years.
“The Centre cannot take such a variety of rice which is not largely consumed. The States can procure parboiled rice or any other form, according to their requirement, for public distribution and the Centre will only take raw rice. But time and again they (Telangana government) are trying to mislead, especially through MPs. It is baseless, incorrect and far from the truth,” Goyal said.
The union Minister said the Centre was not in a position to procure parboiled rice under current circumstances as it had adequate stocks lying in godowns for the last four years. “We cannot waste taxpayers’ money on things which are of no use,” he said. Asked if the Centre would facilitate the export of parboiled rice, the union minister claimed that it was not permitted due to WTO conditions and the Centre would welcome, if States export via private trade. When TRS MP Keshav Rao tried to argue, Goyal stated that he does not have treatment for those who were not willing to understand.
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