Stepping up its attack on BJP and the Union government, the ruling TRS in Telangana on Wednesday, November 10 said it would organise state-wide protests from Friday, November 12 against the Union government’s alleged refusal to buy paddy from the state's farmers. TRS Working President KT Rama Rao asked the party leaders to hold dharnas after obtaining permission from District Collectors as the model code of conduct is in force for the MLC elections.
The TRS' decision to organise protests came amid an ongoing war of words between the party and BJP over paddy procurement and reducing VAT on petrol and diesel. TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who sought procurement of all the paddy grown in the state by the Union government, had said on November 7 that his party would raise the issue in Parliament, besides holding dharnas in districts.
Slamming state BJP leaders who announced agitational programmes against the TRS government for discouraging farmers not to go for paddy cultivation this Rabi season, KCR had alleged it was the Centre which is not willing to procure paddy from the state. Stating that the BJP had no moral right to ask states to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel, KCR had demanded that the NDA government remove the cess on petroleum products.
KCR had also said he would cut the tongues of BJP leaders if they don't refrain from using bad language to criticise him. Hitting out at Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, KCR had alleged the saffron party leader is resorting to cheap talk and looking for political gain out of farmers.
State Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar said in Karimnagar on Wednesday, November 10 that the Union government should buy the 'yasangi' (summer harvest/Rabi) season paddy crop in Telangana. Protests would be held in Karimnagar district on Friday in support of the demand, he said. The Union government has indicated in a letter that it would not buy parboiled rice in the summer crop season, he said in a release.