Ruling TRS starts paddy protests in Telangana

Hyderabad: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) on Monday staged protests across the state against the BJP-led government at the Centre over the latter’s decision not to procure paddy from Telangana in rabi season.
The protesters demanded that the Centre procure entire paddy from Telangana in both Kharif and rabi seasons.

State ministers, TRS MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other public representatives and party leaders led the protests in villages and towns across assembly constituencies. They took out rallies and held “funeral” processions trashing the Centre,  the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The protests were accompanied by drumbeats in all the districts before the effigies of BJP and the Centre were burnt amid slogans flaying the “anti-farmer” policies of the Centre.

The protests were held in response to a call given by the TRS president and chief minister Chandrasekhar Rao to party leaders and cadre on Friday.

TRS working president, IT minister KT Rama Rao and MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha skipped the protest programmes due to prior engagements, said party sources.

Finance and health minister Harish Rao led the protest in Gajwel. This was the third phase of the protests organised by the TRS over the issue of paddy procurement. On November 12, the party leaders and cadres staged dharnas in all assembly constituencies. Later, the chief minister himself led a three-hour "Maha dharna" at Indira Park, on November 18, which was attended by the state ministers, MPs, party MLAs, MLCs etc.