Farmer suicides are government murders, says KTR; new committee to tour State from Feb 24

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao blamed chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s government’s wrong decisions and failure to fulfil promises as reasons behind Telangana farmers’ suffering.

All farmer suicides are government murders, he declared.

KTR chairs first meeting on farmer suicides

Speaking to the media after the first meeting of the study committee held at former minister Niranjan Reddy’s residence, KTR said the tragic incident of a farmer committing suicide at a bank in Adilabad was the trigger for forming this committee.

KTR said there is no political agenda behind the committee they formed to study the issue of farmer suicides; its sole aim is to stand by the farmers.

What will the BRS committee on farmers work on?

“Following the instructions of BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, the committee will begin its work from Adilabad district on February 24,” said KTR.

Over the next month, it will visit all districts and interact with farmers from all sectors to study various issues, including the status of loan waivers, electricity supply, farming conditions, availability of support prices, bonuses, purchase centres and the functionality of Rythu Vedikas. The committee will examine the ground-level challenges faced by farmers, analyse the causes of suicides and submit its findings to KCR and the State government.

Congress failed to live up to the promises it made, says KTR

KTR pointed out that the Congress party, under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, made several promises to farmers during the Farmer Declaration event in Warangal, such as a Rs 2 lakh loan waiver, Rs 15,000 as farmer assistance, support prices, bonuses and setting up extensive purchase centres. Believing these promises, farmers handed over power to the Congress party.

However, KTR alleged that Congress has miserably failed to live up to these expectations.

KTR lists BRS contributions for farmers

KCR’s compassion and concern for farmers, KTR said, is unparalleled among the current rulers.

During KCR’s tenure as chief minister, farmers possessed immense self-confidence, KTR added. He highlighted revolutionary initiatives such as Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, 24-hour free electricity, abolition of land revenue and water taxes, Mission Kakatiya to restore water bodies, Palamuru Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme, Kaleshwaram and Sitarama projects.

These projects, KTR said, have addressed farmers’ issues like no other State in independent India’s history. Even the Union government acknowledged in the Parliament that Telangana has significantly reduced farmer suicides.

CM Revanth Reddy neglecting public grievances

Criticising the Congress government, KTR said they falsely believe that repeating a lie 100 times would make it true. He claimed that during their rule, BRS distributed over 6.47 lakh ration cards through Mee-Seva centres.

Unlike the Congress government, BRS does not need exaggerated publicity, KTR said. He also alleged that the current government lacks answers to people’s questions about loan waivers and Rythu Bandhu during gram sabhas. People are voluntarily questioning the government, KTR stated, adding that none of their party leaders are involved in these protests.

KTR accused Revanth Reddy’s government of neglecting public grievances while filing illegal cases against opposition leaders and arresting people over social media posts.

He remarked that while Revanth’s government prioritises ‘formulas for cases,’ BRS prioritises ‘formulas for farmers.’ KTR concluded by announcing that they would soon organise a farmer dharna in Nalgonda, in line with the High Court's judgment.