Lokesh lashes out at Jagan on second day of yatra

Anantapur: On the second day of his pada yatra 'Yuva Galam', Lokesh interacted with women and local farmers at Ganeshpuram Crossroads near Kuppam. The farmers and women narrated to Mr Lokesh that their lives have become very burdensome with the steep hike in the prices of essential commodities.

The farmers explained that metres are being fixed forcibly for the motors and the taxes too have been hiked. "On the one hand the State Government is paying us just Rs 10 and on the other they are grabbing Rs 100 from us," they told Lokesh. Mr Lokesh said that there is a huge scam in the purchase of metres and these metres are fixed only to loot the farmers.

The TD general secretary also visited the community halls of Kurubas and Valmikis and members of these communities told Mr Lokesh that the YSRC Government deliberately stalled the construction of these halls. Even the land allotted to these community halls are illegally occupied by the local YSRC leaders while belt-shops are being run in the half-built community halls, they informed the TD general secretary.

He said that the lone Chief Minister in the country who brought down the reservations percentage for BCs is Jagan Mohan Reddy. "As the percentage of quota for BCs has been brought down by 10 per cent, thousands of leaders have lost their posts in the local bodies," Lokesh observed.

Later, the students of the Government Degree College also met him and informed him that they are not getting their scholarships. "Though there are reports that schemes like Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena are being implemented, we are not receiving any benefits. New courses are introduced in the college but there are no facilities," they informed Lokesh.

The students said that buse services were withdrawn and no drinking water facility for them on the college campus. "Once the TD is back in power, all these problems will be resolved immediately," Lokesh said and added that all the industries in Kuppam were set up during the Chandrababu Naidu regime.

Later, Lokesh met farmers couple, Rajamma and Muniratnam, who were working in their agricultural fields. They informed Lokesh that they suffered huge losses with tomato crop as not even Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not being paid.

"The Agricultural Minister is against whom a theft case is pending and this Minister forgot the farmers with making rounds to the CBI," he said. Lokesh promised to pay the MSP for all the crops once the TD is back in power. Jagan chased out the Britania company which set up its unit here during the TD rule, he added.

Teja, who sustained grievous injuries in a road accident and got monetary benefit of Rs 16 lakh during the Chandrababu Naidu regime, walked to Lokesh to thank him for the assistance. "I am able to walk now only with the help extended by Chandarbabu," Teja said and even broke down after hugging Lokesh.