Jagadish Reddy slams Congress for anti-farmer stance

Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy on Tuesday made a scathing attack on the Congress Party for what he called its anti-farmer attitude.

Hyderabad: Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy on Tuesday made a scathing attack on the Congress Party for what he called its anti-farmer attitude and its pronounced stand against the 24×7 free power supply to the farm sector.

Addressing a news conference here, he took strong exception to TPCC president A Revanth Reddy’s comments in favor of a drastic cut in power supply to the farm sector.

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He said Revanth Reddy’s utterances were a grim reminder of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s rule in the undivided State that was stained by a bloodbath in the Basheerbagh police firing of 2004.

Chandrababu Naidu was gone but his shadows were still ruling the roost. Being the disciple of Naidu, he said Revanth Reddy sought to continue his legacy. The Congress party was the enemy of the farmers, he said.

There were farmers who had lost their fortune due to the vagaries of monsoons in the State. Instead of supporting their demand for uninterrupted power supply, Revanth Reddy wanted the power supply to the agriculture sector restricted for three hours. For the TDP chief, as he had gone on record before the state bifurcation, agriculture was the bane. The truth was that now, because of the free round the clock power supply, agriculture had once again become a remunerative activity.

It is high time the Congress Party is taught a befitting lesson. Revanth owes a explanation to the peasant community on this count. The Congress leader who wanted round the clock power for his residence, cannot be different on the needs of the farmers, the Minister said, adding that the State government had preferred to forego Rs.30,000 crore from the Centre to continue free power to the farm sector. It also strongly opposed the Centre’s move to have meters fitted for the agriculture sector services, he said.