Telangana CM holds dharna in Delhi, sets 24-hour deadline for Centre on paddy procurement issue

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Addressing the gathering, Rao said he will come again to Delhi and meet with leaders of other parties to discuss the forthcoming presidential elections.

His signal was clear. Rao is no longer a fence sitter. He wants to align himself with the regional forces and fight against the BJP – which he now sees as a threat to his party in Telangana – and to some extent the Congress. Rao was scathing against the prime minister and Union Food Minister Piyush Goyal.

He alleged that Goyal “spoke in an insulting tone” to his ministers when they went to discuss issues relating to paddy procurement with him. He said governments that have brought tears to the eyes of farmers have not lasted long. “They have been thrown out. That is the strength of our country’s farmers. Nobody is permanent in power… you and your ministers spoke in an insulting tone to our ministers… it is not acceptable to us,” he said.

“When our Agricultural Minister Niranjan Reddy and some other ministers came to Delhi with the demands of the farmers… The behaviour of Goyal was bad and insulting. We grow top-quality rice in Telangana but he asked us to consume broken rice. He asked the people of Telangana to get used to consuming broken rice. He is not Piyush Goyal. He is Piyush Golmaal. I don’t know what he thinks of himself… where do they get this kind of arrogance from,” Rao said addressing the gathering.

Talking about the facilities that his government is providing for farmers, he said there has been an increase of one crore acre in cultivation area. “If the prime minister of the country was honest, good and pro-people, he would have said what the Telangana farmers had done was creditable. He would have praised them,” he said.

Referring to the 13-month-long farmers’ protest, he said the prime minister had to finally apologise to the farmers. “Our prime minister is maafi ke saudagar. Whenever elections come, he apologises. Some time ago he apologized to some other people too… the farmers of this country are not beggars. They are fighting for their rights. I want to tell the prime minister… come up with a new agricultural policy. We will also give our contribution. If you don’t do that… aage chalke aapko hata denge and the new government will implement a new integrated agricultural policy,” he said.

He said it was shameful on the part of the BJP to stage a dharna in Hyderabad.

“Why are you holding a dharna in Hyderabad. Shame on you. The BJP is so shameless… Let me tell you that the Telangana government is not that weak. We will not push our farmers into the Ganga. We will save our farmers. But the entire country should know what is their attitude… towards farmers. The government is shadyantra wala sarkar not jantantra wala sarkar,” he said.

The BJP wants votes and seats from Telangana but not the grains of its farmers, the Telangana chief minister said. “When we raise our voice… you ask the BJP to hold a dharna in Hyderabad. This conspiracy will not work in the country. I will go back today or tomorrow. I will find a solution to this issue. Then I will come back, sit in Delhi… will unite all the politicians… will fight for the farmers… will fight to make the MSP a constitutional right,” Rao added.

Rao also accused the BJP government of unleashing investigative agencies like the CBI, ED and the Income Tax against leaders of opposition parties. “Are all BJP leaders Raja Harischandra or his brother? Wherever somebody raises questions… They say the chief minister will be sent to jail in some days. I told them if you have the courage come and put me in jail,” the chief minister said.

Perhaps signalling his national ambitions, he said: “Telangana main humne kaafi kuch kar liya. Bharat desh ke liye ab kaam karna hain (We have done a lot in Telangana. Now we have to work for the country.) With folded hands, I want to request Prime Minister Modi and Goyal on behalf of Telangana’s farmers… buy paddy from Telangana like you are procuring from all the other states. I will wait for 24 hours. We will take a decision if there is no direction from you. We know what to do… I am only talking about the paddy issue now. But I will come back to Delhi…. I will consult all my friends and colleagues. We will discuss the presidential elections and about their policies.”

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait also participated in Monday’s protest.