Nanded (Maharashtra): Taking a swipe at both the Congress and the BJP, Telangana Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao popularly known as KCR on Sunday said that in the last 75 years, there has not been much improvement in the condition of farmers in the country where mainly two parties were in power.
" Only two parties have ruled the country in the last 75 years. But there has been no improvement in the condition of farmers," KCR said. Addressing a rally in the Loha tehsil in the Nanded district of Maharashtra KCR urged the farmers of the country to unite and scoffed at the Loha tehsil in the Nanded district of Maharashtra Government's decision to provide Rs 6,000 assistance to farmers comparing it with sprinkling water on a fire.
" Such aid is like sprinkling water on a fire. We do not want this. We demand Rs 10,000 should be provided to farmers per acre so that they can use it for farming," he added. KCR claimed that the Maharashtra government only decided to provide financial aid to farmers only after his last visit to the state.
Urging the farmers to unite, the BRS supremo said that when they united in the past the rulers had to bow down before them and apologize adding that they should not get divided on religious lines and stay united as peasants.
The Chief Minister argued that although 41 crore acres of land in India is suitable for farming, only a portion of it is being currently utilized. Taking a swipe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his remark that KCR should focus on Telangana, the BRS supremo said that if the current Maharashtra government provides facilities such as 24-hour water, free electricity for farmers, and purchase their produce, he would stop coming to Maharashtra.
He also said that about eight years ago the farmers in Telangana were in severe plight and ending their lives by suicide adding that the BRS government improved the situation. Calling for smart and optimal use of coal and water, KCR said "We are utilizing only 19,000 TMC of water of 75,000 TMC but the rest flows into the Bay of Bengal. We have ample coal which can provide electricity for the next 125 years to the country. Despite this, farmers are facing problems." He announced that BRS would contest the upcoming panchayat elections in Maharashtra and would soon start a membership drive in the State,
