Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Friday demanded that the state government release a white paper with detailed statistics on paddy procurement. Denying Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s claim that 80% of the paddy procurement had been completed, KTR said if the CM proved his claim, he was ready to face any punishment. He added that field reports indicated only 30% of procurement had been completed across the state.
KTR Accuses Government of Spreading Falsehoods
Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan on Friday, KTR criticised the CM and ministers for allegedly spreading falsehoods about paddy and other crop procurement in the state. The BRS leader said he wrote an open letter to the CM on paddy procurement after visiting several districts and witnessing the dire conditions faced by farmers at procurement centres. Instead of taking corrective measures, the CM and other ministers were making false statements and resorting to diversion tactics, he alleged.
Demand for Cabinet Discussion
KTR demanded that the government discuss paddy procurement at the cabinet meeting scheduled for Saturday. He accused the government of denying farmer suicides and deaths despite providing information to the civil supplies minister. He offered to provide details of farmers who allegedly died due to delays in crop procurement. “Farmers across the state are protesting and staging demonstrations. There are no basic facilities at procurement centres, where crops are either not weighed properly or subjected to unfair deductions,” the BRS working president said.
Protests in CM's Constituency
KTR said protests over procurement were taking place in the CM’s own constituency of Kodangal. He accused the government of neglecting every aspect of the procurement process, from gunny bags to jute threads, and also referred to the recent incidents of attacks and lawlessness. He urged both the state government and opposition parties to recognise the crop procurement crisis and wake up from their slumber.
Warning of Grassroots Pressure
He advised the government against ignoring ground-level issues. The BRS leader warned that if the government failed to address crop procurement issues and take necessary actions, the BRS would exert pressure on the government at the grassroots level and hold the Congress government accountable.
