Telangana CM KCR says 'Farm bills are sugar-coated pills, TRS will oppose in Rajya Sabha

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) will oppose the farm bills that have been brought in Parliament by the Narendra Modi government, said party president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) on Saturday.

KCR said these farm bills will do "a lot of injustice" to the farmers. He has instructed TRS MPs to oppose the Bills "tooth and nail" in Parliament.

"The Bills will adversely impact farmers and would benefit corporates," he said, adding that there is a need to oppose the farm Bills when they are introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

On Thursday, the Lok Sabha passed the two farm Bills as the Opposition did not seek voting on any clause of these Bills. The Congress, DMK and the Left parties opposed the Bills and walked out of the House in protest.

Besides them, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the ruling BJP's oldest ally, also opposed the Bills in the Lok Sabha, and its MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet.

"For the public consumption, it was stated in the Bills that farmers could sell their produce anywhere in the country. But in reality, the Bills would enable the traders to go anywhere in the country to buy the produce. They are saying farmers can sell their produce anywhere in the country with these new Bills. But is it possible for



farmers to take their small produce to distant areas, bearing the heavy transport charges and sell it at good price? These Bills are nothing but a sugar-coated pill. This should be opposed at all costs," the Telangana CM said.

He also alleged that the Bills are "in favour" of the corporate lobby and will allow them to spread themselves across the country, paving way for private traders.

The TRS chief announced that since these farm Bills will cause huge losses to the agriculture sector and are against the interests of farmers, his party will oppose and vote against them in the Rajya Sabha.

While the Modi government was easily able to get the two farm Bills passed in the Lok Sabha, it is likely to face hurdles in the Rajya Sabha where it does not enjoy a majority.

The Congress has been working on ways to unite the opposition parties, especially the non-UPA non-NDA parties like TRS, YSR Congress, BJD, TMC, Samajwadi Party and others.

The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party has said it will oppose the farm bills.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a video statement where he strongly supported and defended the farm bills. He said there are many powers at play who are trying to mislead the farmers, but the farmers must not pay heed to them.