Tension prevailed for some time at the Harith Mixing Plant on Monday, as activists of the Communist Party of India (CPI) tried to storm inside and lay their hands on the fertilizers stored there.
The situation was quickly brought under control by the police, who managed to stop the activists from barging in. The activists immediately staged protests in front of Harith fertilizers owned by Kadapa Mayor Ravindranath Reddy at Keesara in Ranga Reddy district.
CPI State Secretary K Narayana, who led the protestors, told media persons that the Kadapa Mayor was responsible for losses incurred by lakhs of farmers since he had allegedly hoarded the fertilizers meant for farmers, for the black market.
Narayana demanded the immediate arrest of the Kadapa Mayor under various relevant acts.
Narayana questioned as to why Ravindranath Reddy was hiding if he was not involved in the hoarding of fertilizers. The CPI leader dared the Kadapa Mayor to face the farmers.
The leader added that government has inadvertently helped in black marketing by giving a free hand to Harith fertilizers to supply the fertilizers to farmers.
The CPI State Secretary alleged that even Agriculture Minister Raghuveera Reddy was in cahoots with private fertilizer companies and was trying to absolve them of all blame by claiming that there was no fertilizer scarcity.
Narayana also criticised the government for stopping his party activists' attempts to storm the fertilizer plant. He said that the government was shielding the rich by stopping the attempt of a forcible distribution of fertilizers.
Narayana warned that the government will collapse if no action is taken against Ravindranath Reddy.