Paddy procurement is Constitutional responsibility of Centre: Harish Rao

Finance Minister T Harish Rao said that procurement of paddy is a Constitutional responsibility of the Indian government since it had the responsibility of storing the grains sufficient for two to three years for the entire population of the nation.

Addressing the Rythu Maha Dharna organised by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) at RDO office in Siddipet on Friday, the Minister said for the first time, the Indian government had refused to buy paddy from the farmers since 1947. Saying that various political parties ruled the country since 1947, he said that no party which ruled the Centre took such a decision in the past 74 years. He said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Union government is acting against the farmer’s interests with their latest decision.

While the past governments worked for the welfare of the farmers drawing inspiration from Jai Kishan slogan, Harish Rao said the Narendra Modi government was acting against the farmer’s interests raising Nayi Kishan slogan.

Accusing the BJP of branding farmers who were protesting in Delhi against the proposed Farm Laws as anti-nationals, the Minister said the BJP government has lathi-charged the protesting farmers several times. He pointed out that no action has been taken against the Union Minister’s son who drove his vehicle over



protesting farmers in Uttar Pradesh.

While the BJP led Union government has announced that it would not purchase para-boiled rice, the senior TRS leader said that the State BJP leaders were trying to mislead the farmers in Telangana by encouraging them to cultivate paddy. He has also sought clarification from the Centre why they were purchasing the entire paddy from Punjab, but not from the Telangana.

Unlike, BJP led Union government and other states ruled by BJP and Congress, Harish Rao said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao came up with several programmes such as Rythu Bandu, Rythu Bandu, uninterrupted free electricity, irrigation water supply, increased the godown storage capacity and initiated several other schemes for the benefit of farmers.

Stating that the dharna was the first step towards their fight against the anti-farmers Union government, the Minister said that they will organise several such programmes to highlight the failure of the Union government in paddy procurement. He called upon the local TRS leaders and elected representatives to sensitise the farmers how the Centre was acting irresponsibly.

Zilla Parishad Chairperson V Roja Sharma, Municipal Chairperson K Manjula, and several others were present.