200 Farmers Arrested In Guntur

A large number of frustrated farmers took to the streets at Karamchedu, a village in the district of Guntur.

The farmers lament that they are unable to get the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their food grains, and that the grains are bought from them at Rs. 600 per quintal when the government prescribed Rs. 1,030 per quintal.

The farmers explain that they approached various authorities concerned over the issue of the MSP, in vain. They state that they have been holding onto their produce for over 3 months now, due to the lack of buyers at the grain purchase centres.

The agitated farmers voiced their dissatisfaction in large numbers on the streets of Karamchedu on Thursday, and drew the ire of the local police for their act. The police had asked them to disperse, and when the farmers refused to do so, a heated clash ensued.

Consequently, more than 200 farmers were arrested by the police.

This protest might prove to be the first of a series of protests, with agriculturists all across the state complaining that they are not getting the MSP for their paddy. Taking advantage of the situation, political leaders, including TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu, LSP President Jayaprakash Narayan and YSR Congress Party President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, announced that they would conduct public events to mount pressure on the government to take corrective measures.