Niranjan Reddy slams Naidu for his height of arrogance over ‘rice’ remarks

During the ‘Intintiki Telugu Desam’ programme, Naidu claimed that it was only after former CM NT Rama Rao launched Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme that people of Telangana started eating rice

Hyderabad: Coming down heavily on TDP national President N Chandrababu Naidu’s remarks over introducing rice to people of Telangana, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy on Monday said the former had no knowledge about the history of Telangana or for that matter the people of different parts of Andhra-Rayalaseema.

During the ‘Intintiki Telugu Desam’ programme held here on Sunday, Naidu claimed that it was only after former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao launched Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme that people of Telangana started eating rice.

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In a statement, Niranjan Reddy said Naidu’s comments indicate height of his arrogance and ignorance. He stated that Telangana region was pioneer in the construction of chain-link tank system and also paddy cultivation (irrigated) was a practice from the days of the Vishnukundinis and the Kakatiyas to the Nizams.

“History is the proof of cultivation of diverse crops such as paddy, wheat, foxtail millet (korralu), sorghum, greengram, ginger, turmeric, onion and sugarcane under minor irrigation tanks during the 11th century AD itself. It was Telangana that had introduced the watershed technology to the world,” he said.

He pointed out Hyderabad was known for its ‘Dum Biryani’ from the 15th century itself. He alleged that Telangana’s forcible merger with Andhra in 1956, had sown seeds for destruction of irrigation system in the region. He stated that the injustice and discrimination meted out to Telangana and its people in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, led to the Telangana statehood movement.

Niranjan Reddy said the rulers of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh have destroyed the minor irrigation tanks and ponds in Telangana as well as neglected the existing irrigation projects and delayed the proposed projects. “Due to lack of opportunities as agriculture turning into a bane, people migrated to Mumbai and Dubai for livelihood. The people of Telangana were reduced to a situation wherein they had vote for ₹2-a-kg rice,” he added.