BJP TS president Bandi Sanjay Kumar has reiterated that his party is committed to making sure the Centre purchases every grain of paddy (raw rice) and urged farmers across the State not to be ‘deceived’ by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s ‘disinformation’ campaign.
“When did the Centre say it will not procure paddy? It is the Chief Minister who has been resorting to flip-flops about the paddy procurement by stating that Centre had no role, warning farmers against growing paddy, threatening to shut down procurement centres and delaying the procurement process,” he charged.
Addressing a media conference at the party office on Sunday, he demanded KCR to ‘apologise’ to the farmers for spreading ‘canards’ against the BJP Government. “Earlier, he tried to suppress his assurance to the Centre not to give parboiled rice and later claimed he signed under duress. Who will believe him? Did he not say he is not scared of anyone,” he questioned.
‘Centre doubled procurement’
“The BJP Government at the Centre had, in fact, doubled the paddy procurement from TS ever since it came to power and had paid ₹8,124 crore this year for 74 lakh tonnes. We have proof that the Government had signed a pact for 40 lakh tonnes and the Centre had offered to purchase 24 lakh additional tonnes but this regime has failed in ensuring the same,” he charged.
The Karimnagar MP also claimed that Union Minister Piyush Goel had already informed the Parliament that the TRS Government was unable to supply the assured amount of paddy to the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Last year, the Centre had agreed to take in any amount of parboiled rice. Yet, in this case too, the TRS Government had failed.
“Farmers have no role in raw rice or boiled rice. What is the problem with TRS Government when the Centre pays for everything including labour and gunny sacks in procurement. KCR just wants to escape the wrath of farmers by putting the blame on the Centre. How can he grow rice in his farmhouse and order farmers not to raise paddy?” he asked.
“The TRS Government has neither given bonus to farmers nor assured assistance to alternative crops, if grown,” said Mr. Sanjay Kumar, and sensed a ‘big scam’ as paddy is being “smuggled from other States, recycling is being done and this would get exposed soon”.
The party president also condemned the police lathicharge on the cadre when a Shivaji statue was being erected in Bodhan after obtaining permission from the municipal council. “It is clear that the police is directly acting under the direction of the CM and had used force against our party men instead of acting against the TRS leaders and others who had resorted to stone pelting without any provocation,” he claimed.
“Do we have no right to install the statue of Shivaji? Do we have to follow the diktats of the Majlis party? Why is the government partisan in these matters as this is a replay of similar incidents in Bhainsa and other parts across Telangana, where the perpetrators are left scot-free and our party activists are put behind bars,” he alleged.
Earlier in the day, former Minister Eatala Rajender’s birthday was celebrated at his Shamirpet house with party cadre, followers and well-wishers, greeting him with shawls, bouquets and cakes, besides cultural performances. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan rang him to wish and KCR also greeted him with a message.
