HYDERABAD: The ruling TRS will further intensify its agitation against the Narendra Modi government over the paddy procurement stand-off. Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy will announce the future course of action on Saturday.
The delegation of Ministers, who returned from Delhi after their inconclusive talks with Union Minister Piyush Goyal, called on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday at Pragathi Bhavan and had a detailed discussion.
The Ministers explained to Rao the ‘indifferent and arrogant’ attitude of the Centre. They told Rao that Goyal on Friday did not give any categorical assurance to procure Rabi paddy produced in the State. Rao reportedly decided to expose the BJP government’s attitude by organising mass agitational programmes. The Chief Minister directed the Ministers to brief the media on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Panchayat Raj Minister Dayakar Rao said that Goyal had insulted the people of Telangana with his remarks.The BJP state leaders too were supporting the Union government without considering the interests of Telangana, Dayakar Rao alleged.
“The agriculture sector witnessed tremendous progress under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao,” Dayakar Rao said and wanted the Centre to recognise this and procure the entire paddy produced in the State.
State Rythu Bandhu Samithi president Palla Rajeshwar Reddy wondered that if the TRS government was anti-farmer as claimed by the Modi government, how had paddy production increased to three crore tonnes per year.