HYDERABAD: Accusing the state government of neglecting farmers, Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) founder Kalvakuntla Kavitha on Friday warned of statewide protests if immediate steps were not taken to address their grievances over paddy procurement.
The former MLC, along with her party leaders and supporters, staged a protest near the state Secretariat over the issue.
Later, addressing the media, she alleged that the government has adopted an “inhuman and anti-farmer” approach and failed to procure paddy on time. She claimed that farmers were suffering due to delays in procurement and deductions in the name of moisture and quality checks.
Kavitha also claimed that several farmers had died while guarding heaps of paddy in extreme heat conditions. The TRS chief said that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had failed to review the Agriculture department even once in the last two-and-a-half years and was ignoring the plight of farmers.
She demanded the immediate establishment of procurement centres across the state and urged the government to purchase every grain of paddy, jowar and sunflowers from farmers.
Kavitha demanded compensation for the families of farmers who died during the procurement crisis and called for strict action against middlemen who are exploiting farmers. Police detained Kavitha and the other protesters, and shifted them to Falaknuma Police Station. They were released later in the day.