Former Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar Goud today alleged that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had been weakening the agriculture sector and had increased the prices of seeds.
Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday, Ponnam claimed that the TRS government had wilfully failed to increase the minimum support price, and had also colluded with seed companies and encouraged the latter to increase the prices of seeds, keeping the Seeds Act aside.
Ponnam also claimed that it was because the state government failed to do the needful that distressed farmers burnt their chilli crop in protest against the low chilli prices quoted in the agricultural market committee.
Ponnam said that the TRS leaders were offering "palabhishekams" to KCR's portraits but were unmoved by the burning problems of millions of farmers in the state, and the suicides of several farmers. He demanded that the ministers extend a helping hand to the farmers if they were genuinely sympathetic towards the latter's grievances.
Returning a favour, he dubbed the Chief Minister a "sannasi". He also assured the farmers that the Congress would soon launch a movement on their behalf.