RS Praveen Kumar condemns arrest of Dimda farmers

BRS general secretary Dr. R.S. Praveen Kumar condemned the arrest of Podu farmers from Dimda village during their 400-km padayatra to Hyderabad, demanding land rights. He accused the Congress government of suppressing farmers and urged their immediate release and action against forest officials.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: BRS State general secretary Dr RS Praveen Kumar has condemned the arrest of Podu farmers from Dimda village in Chintalamanepalli mandal, who were on a 400-km padayatra to Hyderabad to meet the Chief Minister, demanding land titles and protection from alleged atrocities by forest officials.

Praveen Kumar said the farmers were arrested at Alwal near Hyderabad while marching to highlight their grievances, calling the action “cruel” and accusing the government of failing to address their concerns. He said the Chief Minister should have met them and heard their issues.

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The IPS officer-turned-politician alleged that the Congress government was cheating farmers under the guise of its Farmers’ Declaration and recalled earlier incidents in Lagacharla and Gadwal where farmers were allegedly suppressed.

He said farmers had experienced a “golden age” under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, but since Revanth Reddy took office, farmers were “shedding tears”, claiming that 550 had died by suicide under Congress rule.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s statements in the Warangal Declaration about Article 21 and the right to life, Praveen Kumar questioned why, in Telangana, farmers were being arrested for seeking justice. He also criticised the arrest of BC farmers despite the government’s promise of 42 per cent reservation for BCs.

He pointed out that the Dimda farmers had neither staged protests nor sit-ins but were peacefully marching to present their demands. Arresting them, he said, was unjust.

Praveen Kumar demanded the immediate release of the farmers, granting of land rights, and action against forest officials allegedly harassing them, adding that the BRS would stand by farmers at all times.