HYDERABAD: TRS working president and IT Minister KT Rama Rao declared that the party would continue the fight against the anti-farm laws of the Narendra Modi government. Participating in a blockade of the Benguluru national highway at Shadnagar, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, as part of the Bharat Bandh, Rama Rao said the three agricultural laws newly enacted by the central government were against the interests of the farmers.
"The new Acts were in no way beneficial to the farmers. Indeed, they aggravate the farm crisis. That is why the TRS is opposing these Acts," Rama Rao said.
He alleged that the new Acts would allow corporate forces to engage in contract farming. It was clear that these contracts were only a boon to the corporates and risk the rights of our farmers, Rama Rao said.
Rama Rao said the stock limit under the ‘Essentials Commodities Act’, which was set up to prevent the black market, had been amended in the new laws. With this, there was a risk that traders could create artificial shortages and inflate prices. This was detrimental to both farmers and consumers, he said.
All the ministers and ruling TRS MLAs participated in the protests across the state as part of the Bharat Bandh. Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy organised a tractor rally on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway. Finance Minister T Harish Rao participated in the road blockade at Toopran junction.