Warangal: TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy came down like a tonne of bricks on the TRS government accusing it of focussing on the party at the cost of neglecting farmers’ woes. “While chilli farmers in the state are distraught with the price of chilli plummeting, it is shameful that the ruling TRS is making arrangements for its formation day celebrations,” Mr Reddy said.
The TPCC chief, along with party leaders Naini Rajender Reddy, Kondeti Sridhar, Gandra Venkataramana Reddy, Rajanala Srihari, E.V. Srinivas Rao and others gathered at the Enumamula market yard on Monday morning. Police obstructed the leaders from entering the market and closed the main gates. However, the leaders initially got into a war of words with the police managed to push their way inside the market and meet some of the farmers.
A large number of farmers brought their produce to the market on Monday which reopened after a week owing to the strike by lorry drivers. Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy interacted with the chilli farmers and listened to their woes. Farmers said their hard work was going waste as they are being paid a paltry Rs 4,000 per quintal. They said they are not able to make a paisa this year and were incurring huge losses.
Responding to their plight, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao must take action to support chilli farmers. He said that the CM was not giving as much importance to the problems of farmers as he was doing to the TRS plenary. “It is unfortunate that the state government is not responding even after chilli farmers are committing suicide,” he said.
“KCR’s attitude shows that he has no respect for the farmers. The state government must purchase chilli through Markfed at Rs 12,000 per quintal and save the farmers,” Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded. The Congress leaders later tried to barge into the market secretary’s office but the police overpowered them. They then sat in front of the gate and raised slogans against the state government. The police arrested the protesters shifted them to the police station.
