Piyush says Telangana issuing threats, Harish slams comments

Hyderabad: For the BJP government at the Centre, converting a request into threat comes easy. At least that’s what union Food Minister Piyush Goyal made it out to be in Parliament on Friday. Goyal, accusing the TRS of misleading the farmers of Telangana State over paddy procurement, alleged that some Chief Ministers were issuing ‘Dhamkis’ […]

Hyderabad: For the BJP government at the Centre, converting a request into threat comes easy. At least that’s what union Food Minister Piyush Goyal made it out to be in Parliament on Friday.

Goyal, accusing the TRS of misleading the farmers of Telangana State over paddy procurement, alleged that some Chief Ministers were issuing ‘Dhamkis’ to the Centre which has, however, consistently been saying that it will procure excess paddy for the Central pool only in the form of raw rice that is consumed across the country.

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The union Minister, who was replying to a query raised by TRS Parliamentary Party leader K Keshav Rao and BJD MP Samsit Patra in Rajya Sabha, went on to claim that Central officials had conducted raids on rice mills in Telangana and found irregularities in paddy milling which, he said, will be ‘dealt’ with sternly.

Quick to respond to Goyal’s allegations, Finance Minister T Harish Rao slammed the former for the falsehood being heaped against Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao citing flimsy excuses.

Likening Goyal’s arrogance to that of Andhra rulers during the State bifurcation, Harish Rao said people who insulted the people of Telangana never survived, and cited the example of how the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Ministers N Kiran Kumar Reddy who refused to release even a paise to Telangana, is nowhere to be seen now.

“The union Minister is speaking the language of a trader in complete ignorance of the problems faced by farmers. He must remember that we have been requesting him repeatedly to procure paddy since he is the union Minister concerned and we are worried about the future of our farmers,” he said.

Castigating Goyal for his claim that the Chief Ministers were issuing a ‘Dhamki’ to the Centre, Harish Rao explained that Telangana Ministers and MPs were only speaking on behalf of farmers of the State. “Issuing threats is BJP culture as its leaders keep threatening of raids and imprisonment of those who speak against them,” he said.

Pointing out that different crops are cultivated in different States, Harish Rao said while apples can be cultivated only in Kashmir, States like Punjab cannot produce and supply seeds for all major crops like Telangana does. He also pointed out that Telangana supplied nearly 80 per cent of the seed requirement of the entire country.

 

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