TRS plenary disappointed farmers: Shabbir Ali

Hyderabad, April 25 (INN): Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir has described the TRS plenary session as completely disappointing for the people of Telangana, especially farmers.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan here on Saturday, Shabbir Ali alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has failed to give a concrete assurance to farmers, who are in extreme distress due to loss of two consecutive crops, first due to drought and now unseasonal rains. While at least one farmer in every 10 hours is ending his life in the State, the TRS plenary was turned into a "bhajan mandali" with all leaders showering praises on KCR. He said that the Chief Minister vaguely mentioned that compensation would be paid to the farmers who lost crops due to unseasonal rains. However, he did not specify the deadline.

Shabbir Ali said that the farmers, who suffered huge damages in Khariff season, were not paid any compensation, input subsidy or even the crop insurance benefit. He said that the State Government has declared in Assembly in November last that of 459 mandals in the State, as many as 332 mandals received deficient rainfall. "Why all those mandals were not declared as drought hit?" he asked while adding that neither the Central team, nor State Government officials prepared the report on damages. Similarly, the Chief Minister has given a vague assurance that assessment of damages due to unseasonal rains would be done. But no official instructions have been issued to the field level officers including VROs for preparation of report on damages. Citing an example of Faridpet village of Nizamabad district, the farmers forcibly brought the VRO to take down the report on damages to their crops. "How long the Chief Minister wants farmers to keep the damaged crops intact?" he asked.

"While lakhs of farmers are going through tough times, the TRS leaders and workers enjoyed a lavish lunch at the plenary. Several dishes like Biryani, Chiken Fry, Talkaya Kora, Natukodi Shorba and Boti Fry were part of 5-star menu at the TRS plenary meeting. Their behaviour fit the quote that 'Nero fiddled while Rome burned'. Similarly, KCR enjoyed the delicacies while ignoring 939 farmers who committed suicide due to starvation and financial distress," Shabbir Ali said.

There was no clarity on the status of implementation of welfare schemes for SC, ST, BC or minorities. He said that the educated unemployed youth were highly disappointed as KCR failed to give deadline for providing one lakh jobs.

Shabbir Ali ridiculed one Deputy CM referring to KCR as "Mahatma". He said that the Dy CM should first understand the meaning of Mahatma. For example, he said Mahatma Gandhi sacrificed his life for the country and did not take anything for himself or his family. Contrary to this, KCR himself became the Chief Minister while going back on his promise of giving the seat to one Dalit. He accommodated all his family members on top posts. Therefore, it would be an insult to all noble souls if 'Mahatma' is prefixed with KCR's name.

The Congress leader said KCR could not be trusted on his words. He went back on his words on innumerable occasions. He has no accountability and moral character so as to expect that he would abide by his commitment. Therefore, whatever he promised or assured in the TRS plenary was completely unreliable.

When asked for reaction on KCR's allegation that Congress party did nothing for Telangana, Shabbir Ali said KCR became the Chief Minister only due to the sacrifice given by the Congress party while granting statehood for Telangana. The present infrastructure and other utilities like power in Telangana were solely due to previous Congress regime. KCR did not even lay foundation stones for power project although he has been making tall claims, he said.

"The Chief Minister is non-responsive to public issues. He did not furnish information on Water Grid project nor did he react on our demand for Agriculture Emergency. Even the TRS workers have realised that KCR was only a man of hollow promises sans any action. Therefore, they remained dull and tired throughout the plenary session. KCR himself had to appeal to them multiple times to whistle and cheer," Shabbir Ali said adding that only KCR and his family members and the Telangana betrayers who joined the ruling party from TDP were happy in TRS. All others, who sincerely struggled for Telangana, are disappointed with the TRS Government, he said.

Shabbir Ali said that the Telangana Government also faced the wrath of National Human Rights Commission for not furnishing accurate statistics of farmers' suicide. Further, the government gave no commitment of payment of compensation to the families of farmers who committed suicide while the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh at least told the Commission that it was raising compensation to Rs 5 lakh.