The Telangana Cabinet will sit on a day-long dharna on April 11 in Delhi protesting against the Union government’s alleged discriminatory paddy procurement policy, which the ruling party of the State, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), claims is impacting 61 lakh farmers.
The Centre has refused to procure paddy from Telangana this Rabi season, reiterating its stand that it would only purchase raw rice and not parboiled rice, which the majority of the State produces in this season. The TRS has been holding protests across the State on the issue since April 4.
Speaking to The Hindu, senior party leader and Member of the Legislative Council, K. Kavitha said the Centre should answer the Telangana farmer on why they were being singled out? She is in Delhi accompanying her father, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao. “After we started harnessing the river water in a better way, we have record-breaking production. And now the question is how exactly does the Central government plan to help the farmers of Telangana? They procure both the crops [Rabi and Kharif] from the Punjab farmers but the same policy does not apply to Telangana.” This change in the agricultural production patterns had come about in 60 years because of policy of her government, she said.
