Stop pleading, start questioning: KTR asks farmers at BRS Warangal meet
BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao attacked the Congress government at a Warangal farmers’ meet, alleging failure to implement key promises under the Farmers’ Declaration. He warned of statewide protests if crop procurement and support schemes are not ensured.
Warangal: Upping the ante against the Congress government, BRS working president KT Rama Rao lambasted it for betraying farmers in the name of Farmers’ Declaration in Warangal and failing to implement all 34 promises. He warned that unless the Congress implemented its promises, the Chief Minister and the Ministers will not be able to step out into the public.
“Stop pleading and start questioning. It is time to bring down this anti-farmer government to its knees,” he declared to a roaring crowd at Rythu Sangrama Sadassu (farmers’ meet) organised by the BRS in Warangal.
Addressing a large gathering, Rama Rao launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the Congress leadership, questioning the fate of the Farmers’ Declaration announced by Rahul Gandhi. He targeted Rahul Gandhi for making tall promises and abandoning the farmers of Telangana after the Congress came to power. “Where is the Farmers’ Declaration? What is the Chief Minister doing while farmers suffer at procurement centres?” he asked.
He alleged that the Congress had failed to honour its key promises, including Rs 15,000 per acre investment support, loan waivers, crop insurance and procurement guarantees. Calling the declaration a bogus document, he said, “Farmers were handed a scrap of paper in the name of Farmers’ Declaration,” he remarked.
The BRS leader accused the government of failing to procure crops and delaying payments, forcing farmers into distress. Drawing a contrast with the previous regime under K Chandrashekhar Rao, he said while the former procured crops even during COVID-19 crisis, the Congress was proving to be more dangerous than COVID-19 for farmers by abandoning them in dire conditions.
The meeting passed a series of resolutions, putting the Congress government in the dock. As Rama Rao read out the resolutions, the farmers responded with loud cheers and claps, extending their support. The BRS meeting demanded Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia for families of nearly 1,000 farmers who died since the Congress came to power, and called for immediate implementation of all 34 promises in the Warangal Farmers’ Declaration. “If these promises are not fulfilled, we will make it impossible for the Chief Minister and his Ministers to face the public,” Rama Rao declared.
The farmers’ meet also demanded unconditional procurement of all crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP), along with a Rs 500 bonus per quintal for paddy. It sought immediate release of pending Rythu Bharosa funds which was skipped for three seasons, implementation of the Rs 2 lakh loan waiver in full, and revival of the Rythu Bima insurance scheme.
Rama Rao warned of Statewide protests if the government continues to delay procurement any further. “Procure every grain or face the wrath of farmers,” he said, adding that the resolutions would be formally sent to the Chief Minister. He asked farmers not to allow the Congress leaders into their villages, unless the government fulfills all 34 promises and procures their crops.
