Telangana police launches crackdown on farmers to foil Chalo Praja Bhavan protest

The protest, which sought an unconditional loan waiver, gained momentum following a viral social media post by a young farmer urging collective action from farmers across villages, mandals, and districts. Farmers' unions rallied support, calling on various social groups to join their cause amid growing concerns over rising farmer suicides due to loan pressures.

Hyderabad: Demanding for an unconditional crop loan waiver, farmers across the State planned a massive “Chalo Praja Bhavan” on Thursday. However, the police began a crackdown on farmers since Wednesday night and detained them in various parts of the State, citing concerns over disruption of law and order.

The protest, driven by the demand for an unconditional loan waiver, gained significant traction, especially after a viral social media post by a young farmer who called for collective action from farmers across villages, mandals, and districts. Farmers’ unions joined the protests, urging various social groups to join their cause, with mounting concerns over the increasing number of farmer suicides due to loan pressures

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Farmers have been staging protests outside banks and government offices in multiple districts, expressing their frustration over the government’s failure to fulfill its loan waiver promise. Many of these protests stemmed from growing anger at the Congress-led State government, which had previously vowed to waive off all crop loans upto Rs 2 lakh, if voted into power. With the State Cabinet meeting scheduled on Friday, farmers planned to build pressure on the government into taking decisive action on loan waivers.

Families of the detained farmers have expressed outrage, accusing the government of undemocratic actions. In some cases, farmers who were coming to Hyderabad in buses, were made to deboard the buses and were taken to nearby police stations. Farmers are organising the protests voluntarily, though in several areas, BRS workers came out declaring support to them.

Reacting to the police action, BRS working president KT Rama Rao condemned the arrests and criticised the State government’s actions. He demanded the immediate release of those arrested, questioning why Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy felt so threatened by the peaceful protests of farmers.

He charged the authorities with unlawful detention of farmers since Wednesday night. “Are they criminals or terrorists to create a law and order situation? This unjust action will not break the spirit of the farmers,” he tweeted, adding that the movement would continue despite the arrests. He extended support to the just demands of the farmers and the fight for fulfilling them.