Three farmers booked for staging protest in Dy.CM’s Madhira constituency in Khammam
Police registered cases against farmers who staged a protest over delays in transporting maize stocks in Khammam district. Farmers alleged that trucks were being allotted only to ruling party supporters, while police claimed the accused were BRS leaders who obstructed officials from discharging duties
Khammam: Police booked cases against a few farmers in Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s Madhira constituency for staging a protest against delays in transporting maize and claimed that the protesters were BRS leaders.
It may be recalled that farmers staged a protest by locking the premises of the Chintakani PACS office building in the district on May 22, complaining that transportation of weighed maize stocks had been delayed even after 55 days and that trucks were being provided to farmers belonging to the ruling party.
Following the incident, Chintakani police registered cases against farmers Ponugoti Ratnakar, J Krishna alias Kittaiah and Akula Chandraiah on charges of obstructing officials in the discharge of their duties.
Meanwhile, Chintakani SI N Veerender on Monday stated that no case was registered against farmers in connection with the incident. Ratnakar, Kittaiah and Chandraiah, all affiliated with the BRS party, allegedly locked the gate to prevent farmers and society staff from entering, insisting that trucks should first be dispatched to members of their party.
Based on a complaint lodged by society staff, a case was registered and an investigation initiated against them. Some persons were engaged in false propaganda by misrepresenting the legally registered cases against these leaders as cases filed against farmers, the SI maintained.
Refuting the SI’s remarks, Ratnakar said that he, along with Krishna and Chandraiah, had paid money on April 18 and 22 to transport maize using private trucks, while some produce still remained to be transported. The society CEO and chairman later issued instructions not to engage private trucks any further.
However, government trucks were allegedly allocated exclusively to leaders of the ruling political party. When they questioned the CEO as to why trucks were not provided to them, there was no response from him, he explained.
Ratnakar clarified that they staged the protest on May 22 as farmers seeking their rights and not as political leaders. He said the SI could confirm from anyone in the village whether they were farmers or not.
Former ZP chairman L Kamal Raju stated that the Congress government, which was supposed to purchase and transport maize produced by farmers, had neglected to do so. Instead, it filed cases against the farmers. The cases should be withdrawn, he demanded.
