HYDERABAD: Stepping up its attack on BJP and the NDA government at the Centre, the ruling TRS in Telangana on Wednesday said it would organise state-wide protests from next Friday against the Centre's alleged refusal to buy paddy from the state's farmers.
TRS Working President K T Rama Rao asked the party leaders to hold dharnas after obtaining permission from District Collectors as the model code of conduct is in force for the MLC elections.
The TRS's decision to organise protests came amid an ongoing war of words between the party and BJP over paddy procurement and reducing VAT on petrol and diesel.
TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who sought procurement of all the paddy grown in the state by the Centre, had said on November 7 that his party would raise the issue in Parliament, besides holding dharnas in districts.
Slamming state BJP leaders who announced agitations against the TRS government for discouraging farmers not to go for paddy cultivation this Rabi season, Rao had alleged it was the Centre that is not willing to procure paddy from the state.
Stating that the BJP had no moral right to ask states to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel, Rao had demanded that the NDA government remove the cess on petroleum products.
Rao had also said he would cut the tongues of BJP leaders if they don't refrain from using bad language to criticise him.
Hitting out at Telangana BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Rao had alleged the saffron party leader is resorting to cheap talk and looking for political gain out of farmers.
State Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar said in Karimnagar on Wednesday that the Centre should buy the 'Yasangi' (summer) season paddy crop in Telangana.
Protests would be held in Karimnagar district on Friday in support of the demand, he said.
The Centre has indicated in a letter that it would not buy parboiled rice in the summer crop season, he said in a release.
BJP leader and Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy alleged on Wednesday that Rao is spreading untruths about petroleum prices.
In a tweet, he said that Rao had blamed the NDA government for the increase in fuel prices despite international crude prices not going up.
The prices go up only if they rise globally. The Centre decreased the prices now as things have improved, Reddy claimed.
He said on Tuesday that 600 lakh metric tons of rice was procured across the country during 2020-21 kharif marketing season.
Out of that, 94 lakh metric tons was procured in Telangana which was the second highest. It shows the Modi government's sincerity towards the Telangana farmers, he said.