Congress MLCs blame KCR for farmers’ suicides

The Telangana Congress MLCs on Tuesday held Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao directly responsible for the suicides of over 1,500 farmers during his 16-month rule in the State.

Addressing the media after the Congress MLCs held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the strategy to be adopted during the monsoon session. Leader of the Opposition in the Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir and MLCs Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Ranga Reddy, MS Prabhakar and Akula Lalitha said the Chief Minister woke up from deep slumber over farmers’ suicides after a gap of 16 months. They thanked KCR for accepting Congress party’s demand for increasing the compensation amount to Rs 6 lakh. However, they said the enhanced compensation should be paid to the families of all the farmers, who committed suicides since the TRS took over. They said instead of implementing the orders with retrospective effect from June 2, 2014, the KCR Cabinet has agreed to pay enhanced compensation from September 19, the day when the decision was taken.

Shabbir Ali ridiculed the TRS leaders for blaming the Congress for the recent suicides by farmers. “Is the State being ruled by a Congress Chief Minister? You are in power for the last 16 months and did nothing for farmers. Rs 1 lakh crop loans were not waived off. Drought hit mandals were not declared even after farmers lost crops in last Khariff season. No report on damages due to unseasonal rains was prepared and no help was sought from the Centre. The farmers were not paid any input subsidy and no one got a single rupee of crop insurance. Farmers lost three consecutive crops and got no help from the State or Central Government. Who is in power? Congress or TRS? Do you expect Opposition Congress to declare drought-hit mandals or pay input subsidy or compensation?” Shabbir Ali asked, adding whether the Congress committed a sin by granting statehood to Telangana, a revenue surplus State, which KCR has turned into a bankrupt State.

TRS Govt will be tried in “People’s Court”

Deputy CLP leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy ridiculed the ministers for blaming the previous regimes while forgetting the fact that they had served as ministers in those regimes too. He said TRS Government was not serious in the welfare of Telangana farmers. It would have extended enhanced compensation to the families of farmers who committed suicide after formation of Telangana State, he said.

MLC Ranga Reddy also alleged that there were several scams in the projects being implemented by the TRS Government. He said the Congress did not questioned the government as it wanted to give some time to the infant government. However, the government would be accosted on its failures from now onwards. MLC M S Prabhakar slammed the government for not implementing the welfare programs of all sections, especially SC, ST, BC and minorities. MLC Akula Lalitha condemned the TRS government for its failure to clear the dues of Indiramma Housing scheme. She also alleged that women’s welfare was being neglected in the State and KCR did not induct a woman in his cabinet. (NSS)