It is claimed 8000 farmers have committed suicide in Telangana in the last eight years, state’s YSR Party chief YS Sharmila on Monday slammed Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao over his remarks that Nanded in Maharashtra recorded the highest number of farmers’ suicides in the country.
Addressing the media, YS Sharmila said, “I am putting forward three reports in front of you. The report of the National Crime Records Bureau, Telagana police department and Raithu Swaraj Vedhika.”
Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also asked if the CM could specify, how many people have died in the state of Telangana.
“A farmer Swamy committed suicide by hanging himself in the constituency being represented by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. A year ago Swamy’s close relative Narsaiah had died after being unable to get a similar problem addressed. He too failed to trace his land in Dharani portal despite repeated efforts. Every one knows about the problem but no one tried to address it. Improper functioning of Dharani was responsible for the death of two farmers in the family,” alleged Ms. Sharmila after meeting the families of Swamy and Narsaiah. She wondered why no official had visited the houses of both Swamy and Narsaiah.
“It’s good Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has spoken about farmers’ suicide in Maharashtra but can he answer the people of Telangana on how many farmers have died in the state?”, she asked.
While talking about the farmers’ suicide at a public meeting in Nanded, Maharashtra, KCR said that only farmers’ rule can put an end to suicides by farmers and better their plight. KCR addressed the rally of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Nanded on Sunday as a part of the expansion plan of the party and he said that the BRS is the first party to raise the slogan of “Ab ki baar Kisan sarkar”.
Disputing KCR’s claim of development and welfare, Sharmila dared him to come for a walkathon with her to see the people’s problems. She said if it was proved that there are no problems in the state, she will rub her nose on the ground and tender an apology. “But if I prove that there are problems, will you make a Dalit the Chief Minister,” she asked.
On the BJP’s claim that it has proof of KCR’s corruption, she wanted to know why the BJP was not making it public.
Referring to Telangana Congress President Revanth Reddy’s statement describing YSRTP a NGO, she said she agrees with him as NGO means a non-profit organisation which serves the society. “I don’t know blackmailing, extortion and corruption like him,” she said.
“Will someone caught red handed will have any credibility,” Sharmila asked, referring to Revanth Reddy’s arrest in the ‘note for vote’ case.
Telangana Chief Minister also said that it was unfortunate that Maharashtra has the highest number of suicides in India and said that this is not politics but the question of someone’s life and death.
The chief of BRS also said that the farmers should rule the country and make laws to change their destiny. He also emphasised that farmers comprise 42 per cent of the population of India.
