Hyderabad: Accusing Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao of having a nexus with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leaders Assaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi, Union tourism minister G. Kishan Reddy alleged on Sunday that the Chief Minister started mudslinging on the BJP through “false statements to flare up communal tension”.
The Union minister said the two AIMIM leaders have a criminal past, which the Chief Minister was ignoring.
Reddy said Rao crossed the limits of a Chief Minister by making “objectionable remarks (aimed at) flaring up communal violence and disturbing the law and order situation. "After the NDA government led by the BJP and headed by Narendra Modi took charge, there was not a single curfew-like situation in the country. There was no communal flare-up so far," he said.
He said the Chief Minister started trying to needle the BJP after the BJP won some bypolls in the state like the Dubbaka and Huzurabad. In an attempt to divert the people's attention, Rao created an issue on paddy procurement and started blaming the BJP, he said.
Reddy said the Central government “provides all kinds of financial assistance to farmers” including agriculture loans under subsidy for paddy cultivation. As state governments have agencies to procure paddy, they procure paddy from farmers at procurement centres and reach the stocks to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown. “In Telangana state, a similar system has been in place for seven years. The Chief Minister, however, diverted the attention of farmers by issuing statements that they would not sanction Rythu Bandhu if farmers cultivated paddy.”
"There is an amicable pact between the state government and the FCI that the Central government must procure paddy during the Rabi season, of the order of 24.75 lakh metric tonnes. Later, this was increased by 20 lakh metric tonnes and a total of 44.75 lakh metric tonnes of paddy is to be procured from Telangana," Reddy explained.
“FCI has already procured 30.50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from farmers in Telangana. The remaining 14.25 lakh metric tonnes is to be procured. Meanwhile, the TRS government intentionally refused to collect paddy from farmers after the BJP won the Huzurabad bypolls. Fact is, FCI has procured boiled rice of 30.50 lakh tonnes from Telangana,” he said.
"The Central government extended the last date for paddy procurement — for the remaining 14.25 lakh metric tonnes — till December end. The TRS government must take steps to procure paddy from farmers and hand it over to FCI. Instead of collecting paddy from farmers, the TRS ministers are visiting Delhi a number of times, wasting their time and money, while the Chief Minister is calling on farmers to hold protests. Why does the TRS call for protests on paddy procurement,” the Union minister asked.
