KCR Must Resign If He Can't Protect Farmer Interests: Congress

Former minister and TPCC Political Affairs Committee (PAC) Convener Mohammed Ali Shabbir said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao must resign from his post if he was unable to protect the interests of the farmers of the state.

"It was quite painful to watch CM KCR expressing helplessness in supporting the paddy farmers. Since he is unable to pressurise the Centre to purchase paddy, KCR is asking lakhs of farmers to surrender their interests before the Modi government and give up paddy cultivation," Shabbir Ali said.

"A Chief Minister is not expected to say that he is helpless. Instead of surrendering to the diktats of the Modi government, he must find out a solution if he is serious about protecting the farmers," he said.

Shabbir Ali said that the farmers of Telangana had voted for the TRS in consecutive elections for the Assembly and the Lok Sabha in 2014, 2018 and 2019. Therefore, it was the duty of the Chief Minister to protect the interests of the farmers at all costs.

He also pointed out that the TRS MPs had voted in favour of the three new controversial farm laws in Parliament.

"Following strong opposition to the new laws by the farmers, the TRS enacted the drama of opposing the new laws, and even participated in a Bharat Bandh. Later, KCR entered into a secret deal with the BJP government and backed the new farm laws. In view of changed circumstances, KCR is again targetting the Modi government on the farmers' issues. KCR must take a clear stand on the farmers' issue and stop exploring political gains in everything," he said.

The Congress leader also condemned the Chief Minister for refusing to reduce the VAT on petrol and diesel prices.

He said that the Chief Minister could not wash his hands off the issue of inflation and seek refuge behind a dirty blame game with the BJP government.

"Use of abusive and offensive language against the BJP leaders and other opposition parties will not give relief to the common people. People are expecting the Chief Minister to take measures that can reduce inflation. They are not interested in his vituperative language and hollow threats," he said.

Shabbir Ali said that the Chief Minister should convene a special session of the Legislative Assembly on the farmers' issues, where a resolution should be passed against the new farm laws and another asking the Centre to purchase the paddy.

He said that the government should also ensure the purchase of all other crops at Minimum Support Prices (MSP).

"Before the Huzurabad by-elections, the Chief Minister had given a statement assuring that each and every grain cultivated by Telangana's farmers would be purchased. Since the elections are now over and the result was not in favour of the TRS, KCR cannot go back on his statement while forcing farmers to take up alternate crops," he said.

Lakhs of paddy farmers would incur huge losses if they were forced to cultivate other crops at this stage, Shabbir Ali said, and warned that the Congress would launch a mass agitation if necessary to protect the interests of the paddy farmers.