BRS decries Revanth Reddy’s remarks on 24-hr free power, calls Congress anti-farmer

HYDERABAD: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has launched a scathing attack over the controversial remarks of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President A Revanth Reddy, who announced that the 24 hours free power supply provided by K Chandrashekhar Rao’s (KCR) Government is not required for Telangana farmers.

Criticizing Revanth Reddy’s remarks, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) has called for two-day state-wide protests on Tuesday and Wednesday. KTR also appealed to the farmers' organisations to condemn and oppose the Congress party’s anti-farmer policies. Minister for Health and Finance T Harish Rao said that Congress leaders, who had never thought about the welfare of the farmers, are making derogatory remarks about stalling the benefits and welfare done to the farmers by the KCR Government if they came to power.

Denouncing the anti-farmer policies of Congress, Harish Rao said that the grand old party would scrap the Dharani portal, Rythu Bandhu and free power supply to farmers if voted to power. People should teach a befitting lesson to the Congress leaders for their controversial remarks on power supply to farmers, he said. Speaking to media at BRS Legislative Party office in Hyderabad, Minister for Energy G Jagadish Reddy said that the TPCC Chief’s comments on three hours of power to farmers, instead of 24 hours free power, made it clear that even if Chandrababu Naidu had gone, traces of his shadow still remained in Telangana.

Jagadish Reddy had criticized Revanth Reddy for proving himself as the disciple and kin of Chandrababu Naidu for recalling his statements on free power. “It is very unfortunate that Revanth Reddy’s statement on farmers is creating trouble, at a time when they are heaving a sigh of relief from all their sufferings permanently,” he said. Slamming the Congress party for its anti-farmer policies right from its inception, Jagdish Reddy recalled that Congress had utterly failed in supplying seven hours of power to the farmers during its regime. Now, the TPCC Chief had exposed the true nature of Congress towards the farming community in Telangana, he said.

“Does Revanth Reddy have any awareness about agriculture and the plight of farmers? It is high time for the farmers to reject the Congress following the controversial remarks made by the TPCC Chief,” the minister said. Jagadish Reddy recalled that Revanth Reddy along with TDP leaders agitated when the Congress supplied power for six hours during its regime. Unlike the Congress, which had ignored the farmers, the BRS Government was extending 24-hour power supply to farmers to benefit the agriculture sector in the State.

“The Congress cannot evade the issue as Revanth Reddy made controversial remarks against farmers while serving as TPCC Chief,” Jagadish Reddy said. It wouldn’t be surprising if Rahul Gandhi or his sister Priyanka Gandhi would visit Telangana in the coming days and make an announcement of a three-hour power supply for farmers, he said. “The BRS leaders are not in touch with any party. All the people are in touch with KCR,” Jagdish Reddy asserted.

Endowments Minister Indrakaran Reddy also took a dig at Revanth Reddy for his controversial remarks on farmers. “At a time when KCR is standing by the farmers and supporting them in every way, the Congress party is trying to destroy the agriculture sector through its anti-farmer policies. People will counter-attack the Congress if it continues to suppress the farmers in Telangana, which now has surplus water and power unlike in the previous TDP and Congress regimes,” the minister said.

Indrakaran Reddy called upon the farmers to throw the Congress into the Bay of Bengal in the coming elections for its anti-farmer policies. Following the call from the BRS Working President, the minister asked the party cadre to burn the effigies of the Congress in the erstwhile Adilabad district, condemning the remarks of Revanth Reddy that 24- hour power supply to the farming sector was not required, he said.