Hyderabad: BRS leader T Harish Rao has accused the Congress government of betraying farmers, leading to tragic consequences.
During a press conference held at Telangana Bhavan, alongside MP Vaddiraju Ravichandra, MLA Chinta Prabhakar, and MLC Deshapati Srinivas, Rao expressed his concerns about the government’s failure to properly implement the loan waiver scheme. He stated that this failure has resulted in a severe burden on the farming community, causing many farmers to take their own lives.
Rao recalled the heartbreaking case of a farmer named Surender Reddy, who committed suicide after leaving a note at the Agriculture Department office in Medchal. Reddy had taken loans amounting to Rs 1.15 lakh for his mother and Rs 1.92 lakh for himself. However, the bank informed his family that only one of them would be eligible for loan waiver benefits. Unable to handle the pressure and financial stress, Reddy tragically took his own life.
Rao emphasized that every word in Surender Reddy’s suicide note revealed the real face of the Congress government. He referred to the note as a “postmortem report” on the leadership of Revanth Reddy, accusing him of betraying the farmers.
Rao shared another example of a farmer named Gurajala Bal Reddy from Jakkapur village in the Siddipet constituency. Bal Reddy and his two sons had taken a loan of Rs 6 lakh, but only Rs 2 lakh were being waived by the government. According to Rao, such incidents are not isolated and represent a pattern of betrayal by the Congress government.
He accused the government of being miserly and deceitful, stating that they made big promises during elections but have now only delivered disappointment and broken promises. “Surender Reddy’s death was not a suicide; it was a murder committed by the government,” he said.
Rao further highlighted the alarming statistic that 470 farmers have taken their own lives due to financial stress. He criticized the ‘Rythu Bharosa’ scheme, claiming it has turned into an illusion rather than providing real financial support for farmers.
In an informal discussion later, Rao questioned the government’s delay in forming important committees such as the PAC (Public Accounts Committee), the Public Undertaking Committee, and the Estimates Committee. He pointed out that despite it being 38 days since the Assembly session ended, no action had been taken. Rao also questioned whether the Congress leadership was applying different standards in Delhi and Telangana.
He concluded by asking if the constitution, which Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi often cite, applies to Telangana as well.
