Senior leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Minister for Finance and Health T. Harish Rao has accused the Congress party of snatching the morsel before it has reached the mouth of farmers as its complaint has resulted in the Election Commission withdrawing the permission granted for the disbursement of Rythu Bandhu investment support for the ongoing Rabi/Yasangi season.
Speaking at an election meeting held in support of the party’s candidate for Zaheerabad constituency at Jharasangham on Monday, he said it was the Congress that had complained against Rythu Bandhu disbursement for this crop season but after the explanation given by the State Government on November 18 that it was an ongoing scheme, the Election Commission had issued no objection on November 25.
Permission withdrawal
Early on Monday, the EC has written to the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana stating that the permission granted for disbursement of Rythu Bandhu for the season stands withdrawn with immediate effect and that there shall be no disbursement under the scheme till the model code of conduct is in force. The EC has cited statement regarding the disbursement made by the Minister, Mr. Harish Rao, as the reason for withdrawal of the permission since he was a star campaigner for BRS and has violated the conditions laid down for disbursement of the benefit before the 2018 election.
One of the conditions specified before allowing the disbursement of the benefit in 2018 was that “no publicity should be made in this regard”. “At an election meeting, I have simply stated that justice has prevailed at last and the EC has given clearance for the disbursement of Rythu Bandhu benefit for the Yasangi season and it will reach the landholding farmers”, Mr. Rao said and sought to know how it amounted to publicity.
In fact, the EC had withdrawn the permission following another complaint lodged by vice-president of the Pradesh Congress Committee G.D. Niranjan to snatch the morsel before it reached the mouth of farmers, Mr. Harish Rao said adding that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had given it for 11 crop seasons already and it would be given for this season after December 3 when KCR would be back at the helm of affairs.
