Piyush Goyal’s ‘immature’ remarks draw flak

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Commerce, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal’s comments asking the Telangana government to get people habituated to consuming broken rice drew flak from experts and representatives of farmers’ unions. Goyal made these remarks when Ministers from Telangana met him in New Delhi on paddy procurement on Thursday. Terming the remarks of […]

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Commerce, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal’s comments asking the Telangana government to get people habituated to consuming broken rice drew flak from experts and representatives of farmers’ unions. Goyal made these remarks when Ministers from Telangana met him in New Delhi on paddy procurement on Thursday. Terming the remarks of the union Minister as immature, the experts and farmers’ unions’ representatives demanded that he tender an apology to the people of the State.

“Our Ministers went to New Delhi to protect the interests of farmers. But Goyal made unnecessary remarks,” Buddhavanam Project Special Officer Mallepally Laxmaiah said. He said it was the responsibility of the BJP leaders from the State to first respond to Goyal’s remarks.

They should decide whether they would fight on behalf of the people of Telangana or the Central government. “If the BJP leaders support the people of the State, they should ask Goyal to tender an apology,” he said. Since the formation of Telangana, the BJP leaders here always worked in support of the Central government at the behest of a few leaders of Andhra Pradesh. They did not strive for the welfare of the State since 2014.

Even at the time of submitting resignations by Telangana MLAs to put pressure on the then UPA government to grant separate Telangana, only one MLA from BJP resigned. “It’s the responsibility of the BJP leaders from Telangana to register their protest before Goyal for making such remarks,” he said.

Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) chief advisor and Federation of Farmers Associations (FFA) honorary chairman P Chengal Reddy said the request made by the State government to the Central government was appropriate. As a responsible union Minister, Goyal must take necessary steps to sort out the issue instead of making satirical statements. “The Centre must play a crucial role in providing a proper platform for selling agricultural products. It is the role of the Ministry of Commerce whether to process the agricultural products or export them to other countries keeping in view the interests of farmers,” he said.

Telangana Press Academy Chairman Allam Narayana said Goyal’s statement showed the opposition of the Central government towards Telangana. From the statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Bishweswar Tudu and Goyal, the Centre’s strong opposition towards the State came to light once again, he said.

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