Kishan Reddy protests unmet promises to Telangana farmers

Kishan Reddy demanded Rs 25,000 per acre compensation for farmers affected by crop damage due to irrigation water shortages, staging a 'Rythu Deeksha' at the state BJP headquarters.

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Tourism and Culture and BJP’s Telangana unit president G. Kishan Reddy on Monday sat on a protest at the party office here over the Congress government’s “failure” to fulfil the promises made to farmers.

Demanding the government to pay Rs 25,000 per acre compensation to farmers whose crops were withered due to lack of irrigation water supply, Kishan Reddy sat on ‘Rythu deeksha’ at state BJP headquarters. The protest will continue till 3 p.m.

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The BJP leader alleged that the Congress government has not implemented even a single guarantee given to farmers. He recalled that during the election campaign, the Congress leaders had promised to waive farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh but even four months after coming to power, it has failed to deliver on the promise.

He recalled that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had promised that new farm loans would be waived on December 9. “Believing his word, farmers had taken loans. He should explain why farm loans have not been waived off,” he said, adding that banks are not sanctioning loans to farmers.

Kishan Reddy also demanded that the government immediately provide Rs.15,000 per acre investment support to farmers as promised during the elections.

He also demanded the implementation of the guarantee to provide Rs.12,000 every year to agriculture labourers and Rs 500 bonus per quintal of paddy.

“People are asking why this government is not implementing the guarantees,” he said and asked the government if it had a concrete plan to implement the guarantees given to farmers.

The BJP leader alleged that the BRS had backstabbed the people of Telangana but the people were once again betrayed by the Congress party. “People wanted a change but no change has come. KCR family was removed but Sonia’s family came to power,” he said.

Kishan Reddy stated that farmers have no money in their hands at the time of harvest. He also claimed that the government is not sincere in procuring agricultural produce from farmers.

He remarked that Congress leaders have time to collect money in Telangana and give it to the party leadership in Delhi but no time to implement the guarantees. “They had promised to implement the guarantees in 100 days but failed to do so,” he said.

He said if the government is sincere in implementing the guarantees, it should come out with a plan and also explain to people how it wants to mobilise funds for implementing them.