Hyderabad: Stepping up its attack on the BJP and NDA government at the Centre over paddy procurement in the state, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in Telangana on Friday said it will stage protests against the Centre's alleged anti-farmer policies on December 20.
Addressing the media, after a meeting of TRS MPs, MLAs, and other leaders held by party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, state Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said the party would lead different forms of protests, village-wise, on Monday against the BJP-led NDA government's "anti-farmer policies". Observing that the state government has almost procured paddy as per the state's quota for the rainy season crop, he said a delegation of TRS MPs and ministers would go to Delhi on Saturday to demand Centre to procure paddy in addition to the state's quota.
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The TRS move comes against the backdrop of an ongoing war of words between the TRS and BJP over paddy procurement. Accusing the central government of being "anti-farmer", the TRS recently announced that its MPs will boycott Parliament for the remainder of the Winter Session.
Earlier, the Chief Minister, along with his cabinet colleagues and other TRS leaders, held a dharna here last month, demanding that the Centre to specify the annual target for paddy procurement from Telangana.
State BJP leaders, meanwhile, have maintained that there is no issue over paddy procurement and that the Centre would purchase paddy as per the agreement between the state government and Central agencies.
