TRS to back anti-Agnipath protests in other states

HYDERABAD: The TRS is learnt to be in touch with political parties and organisations opposing Agnipath scheme for defence forces recruitment in other states. The party wants to extend support to the agitation programmes and protest rallies being held against the Agnipath scheme by various parties and organisations.

TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is learnt to have spoken to Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait over phone and extended support to his call for a countrywide movement to stall Agnipath on the lines of farmers’ agitation against the Centre's farm laws.

It may be recalled that Tikait took part in the protest rally organised by the TRS in Delhi on April 11 against the BJP government's anti-farmer policies and non procurement of boiled rice from Telangana in which Chandrashekar Rao, ministers, TRS MPs, MLAs and MLCs sat on a dharna for a few hours.

After the anti-Agnipath protests at Secunderabad turned violent on Friday, the TRS has been strongly demanding that the Centre withdraw the Agnipath scheme. Starting from Chief Minister to IT minister K.T. Rama Rao, all ministers, party MPs and MLAs lashed out at the BJP government for unilaterally announcing the Agnipath scheme.

Chandrashekar Rao who is undertaking a hectic exercise to launch a new national party by this month-end is identifying various unions and organisations fighting against the policies of the BJP-led government at the Centre with a view to work with them in the coming days.

Participation of TRS leaders in such agitation programmes besides sending workers from student and youth organisations to extend support to protests in other states are some of the options being considered by the party leadership, according to sources.