Worried over hijacking the pro farmer campaign, the Rajasekhara Reddy government has stalled the efforts of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from staging demonstration with bullock-carts.
While TDP MLAs have planned to enter the state Assembly riding on bullock carts, the city police have seized the bullock carts brought from Nizamabad district for the purpose, citing prohibitory orders. TDP is campaigning for a hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy. Further, former TDP minister T Sitaram was also taken into custody along with the bullock carts.
Surprisingly, breaking the police obstructions, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu rode on a tractor wearing a turban, carrying paddy sheaf in one hand to the state assembly, the first day of the winter session, symbolizing the burning paddy MSP issue. Naidu is demanding the government to increase MSP for paddy to Rs 1,000 per quintal.
Meanwhile, the Speaker had adjourned the House for the day, while the opposition led by TDP pressed for adjournment motion on the paddy issue. Later speaking to media Chandrababu Naidu said that the Rajasekhara Reddy government has failed in protecting the interest of the paddy growing farmers in the state. “Over the last three years the UPA government has increased MSP for wheat benefiting the wheat growers in the north,” Naidu said adding that the UPA government is showing step motherly attitude towards rice growers in the south. He blamed the Prime Minister for not accepting the requests of various political delegations seeking increase in MSP of paddy.
TDP is also campaigning for the hike in the MSP of ground nut, maize, cotton, chillis and turmeric. Naidu said that his party will intensify the agitation, if the union government failed to accept the recommendations of Swaminathan committee on MSP.
