HYDERABAD: State Congress working president A. Revanth Reddy appealed to political parties to put aside their agenda and join the public meeting at Ravirala to express solidarity with farmers and to protest against the new farm laws. He asked them to hold their respective party flag on one side and that of the farmers on the other side during the February 16 rally.
Speaking at a public meeting in Amangal, Revanth Reddy, the Lok Sabha member from Malkajgiri, said the three black farm laws would turn farmers into corporate slaves. He said that once these laws are implemented there will be no purchase centres, market yards and no minimum support price. The farmers would even be deprived of an opportunity to appeal in court if they suffer losses.
The Congress leader said that irrespective of loss or gain, farmers will stick to agriculture. He reminded that it was Congress which gave land to the landless farmers. He also said that it was Congress that brought laws favouring minimum support prices to farmers.
"It was Congress which encouraged agriculture and supported farmers through loan waivers, free electricity, subsidised seeds and farming tools and also provided 100 days employment. And now two middlemen from Gujarat have mortgaged the country with Ambani and Adani", he said.
Taking a dig at Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, Revanth Reddy said that the TRS chief took a U-turn on farm laws after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. He has remained in his farm house after that, he said.
The Malkajgiri MP said following the direction of AICC, he had started the padayatra on February 7, which would culminate with the rally at Ravirala on February 16. He said that the tractor rally would also reach the same day.
Revanth Reddy appealed to all those who depend on agriculture for their livelihood to participate in the meeting to express solidarity with the farmers in Delhi.
