Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Pradesh (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded that the State Government conduct debate on farmers‘ issues before taking up the amendments in Land Acquisition Bill in the special session of Telangana Assembly and Council being held on Sunday.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Assembly premises on Saturday, Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with Leader of Opposition K. Jana Reddy, said that the House should discuss and find solutions to immediate problems concerning farmers in Telangana State.
He said acquisition of land was less important than resolving the actual problems being faced by the farmers. However, he condemned the TRS Government for giving priority to amendments in Land Acquisition Bill than holding debate on issue like huge drop in prices of various crops especially chilli, turmeric, Tur dal or onions.
Uttam Kumar Reddy accused Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao of turning a blind’s eye to the problems being faced by farmers. He said KCR was living in illusionary world by assuming that all is well in the State.
He wondered as to how the Chief Minister could not see quintals of unsold chilli and other crops lying with farmers for want of remunerative prices.
He said continuous negligent attitude of TRS Government has not only pushed lakhs of farmers into deep crisis, but hundreds of them were on the verge of committing suicide.
Condemning the lathicharge on chilli farmers at Khammam Market Yard, he criticised the TRS Government for registering cases against the farmers who held protest seeking supportive price for their produce.
He said that the Chief Minister was not even willing to acknowledge that chilli farmers were not getting supportive prices while other States are paying bonus to farmers for the same produce.
The TPCC chief advised the Chief Minister to come out of Pragathi Bhavan to watch and understand the ground realities. “KCR wants to acquire farmers’ land at cheaper rates and handover the same to corporates in the name of various projects. Both by his intentions and actions, KCR has proved that TRS Government was anti-farmer regime,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy made it clear that the Congress party would insist in the House that the government first take up debate on farmers issues in the House before discussing amendment in Land Acquisition Bill.
Meanwhile, Jana Reddy said that the State Government should implement Land Acquisition Act 2013 and there was no need for a separate State Act.
He said it was strange that the State Government did not inform the opposition about four amendments that it proposes to bring in the Land Acquisition Bill. He accused the TRS Government of misusing the Assembly as per the whims and fancies of KCR. He also condemned the lathicharge on farmers at Khammam Market Yard. (INN)