No let-up in TRS protests over paddy procurement

Hyderabad, April 8: There was no letup in the protests by ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) across Telangana to demand the Central government to procure entire paddy produced in the state during the ongoing Rabi season. Keeping up the pressure on the Centre and further intensifying the protests, party leaders and cadres led by state ministers and legislators on Friday took out rallies and put up black flags atop their houses.

For the third day in a row, ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other public representatives and TRS leaders hit the streets to register their protest. Transport Minister P. Ajay Kumar led a bike rally in Khammam. Hundreds of protesters participated in the rally with black flags.

Forest Minister Indrakaran Reddy put up the black flag on his house in Nirmal. He along with scores of other TRS leaders stood on the roof with black flags to condemn the Centre's refusal to procure paddy from the state. The minister later participated in the bike rally.

The minister said the Centre should give up its stubborn attitude and procure paddy from Telangana like it is procuring from Punjab and other states. "The protest will continue till the Narendra Modi government agrees to procure paddy from Telangana," he said and called on the people to teach a lesson to the BJP for pursuing anti-farmer policies.

Civil supplies minister Gangula Kamalakar put up black flags atop his house in Karimnagar. He said the Centre should unconditionally procure paddy at Minimum Support Price (MSP). He pointed out that under Article 246 of the Constitution, it's the responsibility of the Centre to procure foodgrains from the states. "We are not begging. We are fighting for our Constitutional right," he said.

Friday was the third consecutive day of the statewide protests by TRS. On Thursday, the ministers and other leaders had led the protests in all district headquarters. The TRS cadres had blocked Mumbai, Nagpur, Bengaluru and Vijayawada on Wednesday. The party plans to organise protests in all the villages. State ministers and public representatives will stage a protest in Delhi on April 11.