Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao today lashed out at the Congress for its provocative attack against the ruling party on farmers’ suicides.
Talking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, Harish Rao accused the Congress of organizing padayatras only to protect its leaders from changing parties. He likened the Congress leaders’ hue and cry over the farmers’ suicides to Devils chanting Vedas. “The tours of Congress leaders are irrelevant and would not have any impact on the people”, he said, adding that the Congress leaders have no moral right to fault the TRS Government, which was trying its best to solve the crop loan issue.
The minister claimed that the kin of 53 farmers, who had committed suicides during the previous Congress regime were given ex gratia from the TRS Government on humanitarian grounds. He also slammed the Congress leaders for resorting to criticize the present government on farmers’ suicides. “The Congress ruled the State for almost six decades and did not bother to construct irrigation projects to find a lasting solution to the problems of farmers in Telangana region”, he charged.
Harish Rao further alleged that even during its previous 10-year rule, the Congress failed to think about the welfare of farmers, irrigation projects and totally ignored the plight of the farmers, who did not get waters from dried up lakes and water bodies. Therefore, the Congress has no moral right to talk on the woes of farmers, their suicides and development, he added. He further alleged that the Congress leaders were mischievously creating confusion among the distressed farmers. The previous regimes from YS Rajasekhar Reddy to N Kiran Kumar Reddy conveniently ignored the issues of farmers and irrigation.
The minister said the TRS Government has already spent Rs 400 crore on minor irrigation sector in the State and supplying quality power for crops. The Water grid program was getting accolades from national and international levels. As the TRS government is with the farmers, the farmers should not end their lives, he said. (NSS)