YSR Congress Party to hold protests against TDP government on 5th November

Visakhapatnam: YSR Congress today announced statewide protests on November 5 against TDP government's "indifferent" attitude towards the cyclone-hit people and its "failure" to keep the poll promise of waiving agriculture loan of farmers in the state.

YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy made this announcement after rounding off his tour of 'Hudhud' cylone-affected areas of north coastal Andhra Pradesh. "TDP government has miserably failed in providing relief to the cyclone-affected people as no official has visited the major parts that were wrecked by 'Hudhud' and no enumeration work has been taken up yet," Jagan told reporters.

"While Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been resorting to publicity blitz, at ground level nothing is being implemented," he said. Jagan also alleged that though the government promised 25 kg rice in the cyclone-hit region, many areas have been left out.

"We have to strongly question the government on its failures and therefore we will hold dharnas at all the mandal headquarters demanding relief and rehabilitation to the cyclone-affected people, besides waiving the loans as assured to the farmers and women groups," he said.

The government has been deceiving farmers and DWACRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas) women groups by going back on its poll promise of waiving loans. "As the Chief Minister did not honour his poll promise, the farmers' eligibility to crop insurance has been erased, while the cyclone has washed away their crop. With banks refusing to give fresh loans, most of the farmers have gone for private borrowings and are totally duped, as the government has failed to secure any fresh loans and did not pay any compensation," he said.

The state has announced Rs 5,000 crore towards loan waiver, though the actual loan of farmers and women groups put together sum up to Rs one lakh crore, Jagan said adding, "They have put in many riders for the eligibility of loan waiver, though it was not mentioned during electioneering by Chandrababu Niadu."

Jagan said while a total amount of Rs 3,700 crore is needed to pay pension, only Rs 1,300 crore was allocated in the budget. "In addition to it, the state is trying to slash the pension of many people in the name of bogus cards in a very unjust and brutal manner. How can the people who were pensioners for the past so many years, suddenly become ineligible is the question to be answered by this government," he added. "If we continue to keep silent, the state will go on with its anti-people policies and therefore we have decided to launch a strong agitation by protesting at all mandal revenue offices on November 5," the YSR Congress Party chief said.