Khammam incident not farmer fury, but plot to malign state, says KCR

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday suspected a political conspiracy hatched by a few leaders behind the ransacking of the Khammam market yard on Friday to malign the government.

Refusing the Opposition demand for a special discussion on the farmers not getting remunerative prices for chilli, red gram and turmeric in the state before the House takes up discussion on Land Amendment Bill on Sunday, Mr Rao said that he knew who were behind Friday’s incident and said that he would expose the conspiracy. “If needed, cases will be booked against those involved in the incident,” Mr Rao said, during the Business Advisory Committee meeting held on Saturday evening in Speaker S. Madhusudana Chary’s chambers.

The meeting was attended by Floor leaders of Opposition parties. Mr Rao said he would make public “everything at an appropriate time” and asked the Opposition not to insist on special discussion as House was being convened only for adopting Land Acquisition Amendment Bill to incorporate suggestions made by the Centre.

Meanwhile, minister T. Srinivas Yadav said farmers should not be swayed by the Opposition “dongalu” (thieves) who, he said, were trying to fan violence for narrow political gains.

In an equally strong statement, Roads and Buildings minister Tummala Nageswara Rao lashed out at TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy, asking whether he was an “idiot or leader”.

Mr Nageswara Rao said that the TRS government has provided unstinted support to farmers which no other government in the past have done it. He also took a dig at Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya, saying he has no knowledge about agriculture.