Telangana farmers threatened in Varanasi: 50 farmers want to contest against PM Modi

NIZAMABAD: Turmeric farmers of Nizamabad district in Telangana state have alleged that Intelligence officials in Uttar Pradesh have warned them not to file nomination papers in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting.

Around 50 farmers of Nizamabad rural, Armoor and Balkonda Assembly constituencies reached Varanasi on Saturday to file mass nominations from there to highlight their demands for a Turmeric Board and minimum support price for this commercial crop.

Speaking to newspersons in Varanasi on Saturday, the Telangana State Turmeric Farmers’ Association president Kotapati Narasimha Naidu said that they are consulting local farmers to get their support. “We need proposers to file nomination papers for Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency,” he said. “Intelligence officials are following the Telangana farmers and warning them not to file their papers,” he added.

Mr. Naidu said that Tamil Nadu turmeric farmers have joined the Telangana farmers but the TN police had taken the Turmeric Farmers’ Association leaders into custody and released them only after 24 hours.

“We took the nomination papers from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency returning officer and while trying to find proposers, we were threatened by Intelligence officials,” he said.

Meanwhile, Veligonda Project Sadhana Samiti leaders, Vadde Srinivasulu and Kollur Ravikiran Sarma of Botlagudur village in Pamuru mandal of Prakasam district, are all set to file nominations for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat against the Prime Minister on Monday, the last day for nominations in Uttar Pradesh.