HYDERABAD: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs have decided to boycott the rest of the winter session of Parliament, protesting against the central government's alleged indifferent attitude on rice procurement from Telangana.
The TRS members on Tuesday attended the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha wearing black shirts. However, both the Houses did not take up the short discussion as requested by them on paddy procurement. Later, the TRS MPs staged a walkout from both Houses of Parliament. They told reporters that they would boycott the remaining session of Parliament. The TRS has nine members in the Lok Sabha and seven members in the Rajya Sabha.
"No party wants to boycott the Parliament session. But, we have no other option," said TRS parliamentary party leader K Keshava Rao. He said that he would now take up the matter in the peoples' court.
"We are boycotting the session for the sake of the farmers," TRS floor leader in Lok Sabha Nama Nageswara Rao said.
The TRS MPs have been protesting for one week in Parliament demanding that the central government procure the entire amount of rice produced in Telangana.
However, in reply to a question in the ongoing session, Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal said in the Rajya Sabha that the Telangana government was not providing rice as per the agreement. The TRS MPs alleged that the Union Minister was not telling the facts. They alleged that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has been creating problems for the state intentionally and delaying procurement. Over 700 trucks were waiting at FCI godowns in eleven districts of the state, they alleged.