Andhra Pradesh farmers end 100-km march, pin hopes on Jagan Mohan Reddy

Kurnool: Calling the bluff of Rayalaseema leaders who had betrayed it from flourishing despite being endowed with water and other natural resources, president of Rayalaseema Saguneeti Sadhana Samiti (RSSS) Bojja Dasarath Reddy said that the farmers had immense faith in Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to help realise the dream of Seema farmers by constructing the Siddeswaram weir.

In an ultimatum to the CM, the RSSS chief said, “If you cannot take up the construction of the Siddeswaram weir, allow farmers to construct it by pooling resources voluntarily.” Mr Reddy was addressing a meet attended by thousands of farmers who had walked along with him for the past four days, marking the end of their 100-km march. Farmers, poets, writers, doctors, lawyers and activists attended the meet.

Mr Reddy said the 30-years of Congress’ rule, and 25-years of TD rule had not improved the living conditions of the people of Rayalaseema. “Farmers still do not have water, youth do not have jobs, and there is a severe dearth of projects,” he said.Amid slogans of ‘Jai Rayalaseema’, Mr Reddy said that Rayalaseema needed a High Court, a steel plant, an All India Institute of Medical Sciences and a seed park along with the irrigation projects.

He claimed that the irrigation projects were more important than the special category status for Andhra Pradesh, and asked the government to perceive the costs of constructing the weir as an investment opportunity and not as an expenditure.