Congress To Launch Campaign For Farmers, Students

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday announced that the Party would launch a massive signature campaign against the State government.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, Reddy slammed the TRS-led government for not fulfilling its promise of waiving off crop loans exceeding Rs. 1 lakh. The TRS government cleared only 60% of the total crop loan dues during the last 28 months despite the fact that farmers had lost four crops consecutively due to drought and then suffered extensive damage in the recent heavy rains and floods.

The TPCC chief said that the Congress would collect applications from farmers and students seeking clearance of dues under the crop loan waiver scheme and the fee reimbursement scheme. He said that the entire rank and file of the Party, including MPs, MLAs, MLCs and also the frontal organizations would participate in the campaign.

"The workers of our Party will meet nearly 37 lakh farmers, of which 3 lakh are female farmers who mortgaged their gold to avail crop loans and are having a difficult time repaying it. We will collect their signatures on application forms and forward them to the CM, the Governor and the President Of India," he said.

Reddy also informed that the Congress would conduct its own enumeration of crop loss in flood-hit Telangana on October 5, 6, 7 and 8, and submit the findings to the district collectors of the affected regions. He added that the Party would also gather information on "faulty" works executed under Mission Kakatiya.

The Congress leader also said that Party leaders, in collaboration with the NSUI and the Youth Congress wing, would approach about 14 lakh students who did not receive reimbursement of tuition fees dues. He pointed out that the Chief Minister had declared in the State Assembly in the month of March this year that the entire amount of dues would be cleared on a monthly basis. Reddy alleged that the State Government did not clear even 25% of the fee refund for the academic year 2015-16, and that no amount had been released towards the refund for the academic year 2016-17 yet.

As per reports, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Vice-President Rahul Gandhi also has been invited to attend the campaign, although his participation is yet to be confirmed.