Telangana govt ups ante against Centre's refusal to purchase rabi paddy from State

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi Party (TRS) on Friday held protests across the State against the Centre's refusal to procure paddy from the state. TRS Working President and Minister KT Rama Rao has vowed that the state government will force the Centre to buy paddy harvest grown in the southern state. Rao also alleged that the Central government 'confuses the farmers and asks them not to cultivate paddy'. The Telangana minister has asserted that TRS will always be with the farmers. 

"We have forced the Congress party for the formation of Telangana state. Can't we do the same for the farmer's if BJP doesn't buy paddy? TRS government would always be with the farmers" Rao told ANI while attending the protest over paddy procurement in Sircilla. 

"Telangana's farmers are being confused by BJP. The Centre tells them not to cultivate paddy. State BJP leaders are provoking them to cultivate paddy alone," he said.

'We'll go to Delhi if needed' 

Stepping up his attack against the Centre, Rao said that if the state government purchases the paddy then it will be directed towards the FCI. He remarked that the paddy is the 'Centre's responsibility'. The Telangana Minister has also threatened to go to the national capital if the Centre refuses to buy paddy from the state. 

"Even if state government purchases, it has to go to Food Corporation of India. If FCI denies, we'll have no option. We are trying to explain to farmers BJP's hypocrisy. We also have to explain to them that paddy will be the Centre's responsibility. If they don't take it, we'll go to Delhi if needed."

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has earlier informed that his party would organise dharnas in all Assembly Constituencies, with farmers demanding the Central government to procure entire Kharif (summer or monsoon crop) paddy produced in Telangana. On the other hand, BJP has asked the Telangana CM to release the letter written by the Central Government where it has already mentioned that they would buy the crops from the state. 

With ANI inputs