Congress declares war against TRS Govt

Kamareddy, April 23 (INN): "Our war against the anti-farmer policies of TRS Government has now begun. We will not allow the same circumstances to prevail which are forcing the farmers to commit suicide. The governments, both at the State and Centre should mend ways or face public anger," said Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir while addressing a massive rally in Kamareddy of Nizamabad district here on Thursday.

Shabbir Ali asked Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to make his stand clear on Land Acquisition Bill. "You will have to spell out your stand on Land Acquisition Policy. You must announce whether you are on the side of farmers or the big corporates. You cannot play the safe bet by staying silent on the issue," he said while asking KCR to announce his party's stand on Land Acquisition Bill during TRS plenary session being held on Friday.

Originally, the rally and public meeting was organised by the Congress workers of Kamareddy to felicitate Shabbir Ali on him getting appointed as the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council. However, the rally took an emotional turn at the beginning itself. While Shabbir Ali was being felicitated by the Congress leaders of Basvapur village, some women came near the dais and narrated the problems which they are facing under the TRS regime. While some elderly women complained of non-receipt of ration for the last six month, a young girl, Shanti, told Shabbir Ali that her father Chinta Ramaiah committed suicide after his name was removed from the pensioners' list. A few other women complained of problems they are facing in getting ration cards and pensions. Their narration was so emotional that the Congress workers started raising slogans against the Chief Minister and concerned MRO.

A farmer of Basvapur met the Congress leaders with a bunch of his crops which got damaged in recent unseasonal rains. He said he had suffered losses in last season due to deficient rainfall and erratic power supply and this season, unseasonal rains have washed away all his hopes. Similar complaints were received when the Congress rally proceeded towards the venue of public meeting at Satya Gardens on Sircilla Road in Kamareddy.

"No farmer should commit suicide under any circumstances. The Congress party will strive hard to get adequate compensation for the losses which you have suffered and all our leaders and workers too will make some contribution to help you out of the situation. Don't lose hopes. AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi are spearheading the battle to protect the interest of farmers and we will not rest until justice is done with farmers," Shabbir Ali said adding that his first visit to Kamareddy was not aimed at participating in the felicitation function, but to learn about the problems being faced by the farmers.

Shabbir Ali accused the State Government of completely neglecting the farmers. Of 459 mandals in Telangana, as many as 332 had received deficient rainfall. But the State Government did not declare drought-hit mandals to seek Central assistance. Similarly, the government did not prepare any report despite farmers losing crops spread over one lakh acres due to unseasonal rains. More than 750 farmers have committed suicide since the formation of TRS Government in June last year and one farmer is committing suicide in every 10-12 hours. He also criticised the government for not paying compensation as per GO Ms No 421 to the families of farmers who committed suicide.

He criticised KCR for denying pension to eligible beneficiaries by confining it one person in a family. "KCR did not apply the same rule for himself. He made his son and son-in-law ministers in his cabinet and got his daughter elected as Nizamabad MP. The other relatives were accommodated as OSDs," he pointed out.

Senior Congress leaders including former MP Suresh Kumar Shetkar, Mahila Congress president Akula Lalitha, TPCC Secretary Mohd Javeed Ahmed and Nallavelli Ashok, Nizamabad DCC President Taher Bin Hamdan, Municipal Chairperson Sushma, former MLA Ganga Ram and several corporators, councillors, ZPTC, MPTC members, Sarpanches and other leaders also addressed the public meeting.