Uttam leads huge farmers protest rally

Mahbubabad, Oct 20 (INN): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday said that as part of ongoing struggle for farmers' rights, the Congress party would organize signature campaigns in villages to pressurize the government to address the issues concerning the farmers.

Speaking at the party's farmers' rally 'Rythu Garjana' in Manukota in Mahbubabad district, which was attended by over 30,000 people, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the TRS government failed to fulfill even a single promise made during poll campaign. He said that the farmers in the State were going through the worst crisis due to inefficiency of the State Government in tackling various issues like providing farm loans, waiving of farm debts, providing fertilizers and quality seeds. He said that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, who claims to be aware of the farmers' issues, failed miserably in solving their problems. He wondered as to why the state government was diverting the funds meant for farm sector to contractors.

The TPCC chief reiterated the demand that entire crop loans be waived off in single installment without further delay.

Slamming the State Government for not releasing fee reimbursement funds, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that uncertainty looms over the future of the lakhs of students as the government failed to reimburse their fee for various professional courses. He accused KCR of playing with the lives of youth of the state. Similarly, by not clearing the arrears under Aarogyasri scheme, the State Government has proved that it is least bothered about the public health and is an anti-poor government. If key sectors like farm, education and health are neglected, how the TRS government is going to achieve Bangaru (Golden) Telangana, Uttam Kumar Reddy questioned.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that after visiting every village in Telangana State and exposing the state government's anti-farmers policies, the party would organize a massive public meeting for which the party would invite AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi. He said that the signatures gathered during the campaign would be forwarded to the President of India highlighting the problems of the farmers in Telangana.

AICC Secretary RC Khuntia, AICC SC Cell Chairman Koppula Raju, CLP leader K Jana Reddy, MP Nandi Yellaiah, TPCC Vice-President Dr. Mallu Ravi, former Union Ministers S. Jaipal Reddy and Balram Naik and other senior leaders also addressed the meeting.