Telangana CM KCR sets 24-hour deadline to Centre for paddy procurement

Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao put the BJP government at the Centre on notice on Monday when he set a sharp 24-hour deadline for the union government to make its stand clear on procurement of the entire paddy crop from Telangana besides formulating a uniform food grains procurement policy.

“If the Centre fails to respond, the TRS government will go ahead with its action plan to protect the interests of Telangana farmers and also expose the political conspiracies of the BJP government at the Centre, he said. Chandrashekhar Rao was addressing a ‘Maha Dharna’ of Telangana Ministers, elected representatives of TRS and farmers’ organisation leaders including Bharatiya Kisan union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi.

Billed as the biggest event in the national capital post the prolonged farmers’ agitation against the now-repealed farm laws, the unprecedented protest against the anti-Telangana stance of the Centre in paddy procurement, also catapulted Chandrashekhar Rao into the centre-stage of national politics, and this was evident from the remarks he made during his speech.

“If Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not capable of coming up with a uniform national policy on food grains procurement, he should then step down. The next government at the Centre will not only come up with an integrated agriculture policy but will also ensure its implementation,” the Chief Minister said, mincing no words while targeting the Prime Minister.

Giving clear indications of major changes in the political dynamics of the country, Chandrashekhar Rao said a meeting of all like-minded political parties would be convened soon to discuss the election of the President of India where other issues of interest would also be discussed. “We will set off an earthquake and its tremors would be felt across the country,” he warned.

The fact that Chandrashekhar Rao spoke about the President’s election is a clear indication of the



seriousness with which he is moving ahead in stitching up a non-BJP alliance to take on the saffron brigade in the country. The TRS, it may be recalled, had earlier supported the candidature of Ram Nath Kovind. The TRS, he said, will garner the support of all like-minded political parties to mobilise farmers and build a movement unless the BJP government addresses issues pertaining to farmers.

Switching to his trademark humility albeit with a warning, Chandrashekhar Rao, apparently making a last-ditch effort to avoid a confrontation with the Centre, said: “I request the Prime Minister and union Minister Piyush Goyal to procure paddy from Telangana as is being done in the case of other States. We will wait for the next 24 hours for your response. We will do whatever it takes to protect our farmers. But we will also come after you (BJP) if you don’t do justice.”

Advising Modi against messing around with farmers, Chandrashekhar Rao pointed out that Indian history has enough instances to prove that wherever farmers suffered and cried, governments lost power. “Nobody is permanent. When in power, don’t treat farmers unfairly,” he said, adding that the people and farmers of Telangana were ready for a fight with the Centre to protect their rights.

Wondering why Modi who makes tall promises was hesitating to spend a few hundred crores on farmers in a small State like Telangana, he said: “Kya kisan ke paidwar khareed ne ke liye sarkaar ke paas dhan nahi hai ya PM Modi ka mann nahi hai (Doesn’t the union government have money to purchase grains cultivated by farmers, or is Modi stone-hearted)?”

Stating that the TRS government was not a pushover, the Chief Minister said it will do whatever is required to protect farmers’ interests. He also hit out at Piyush Goyal who advised the Telangana Ministers’ delegation to make people of State consume broken rice. “This is nothing but arrogance. We are not here to beg. We are only demanding what is our right,” he added.