BRS protests against Revanth Reddy remarks on power supply; Congress retaliates

Revanth, while speaking at a conference in the US, said more than eight hours of power supply to the farm sector would be a waste.

ByRaj Rayasam

Published Jul 12, 2023 | 8:14 PM ⚊UpdatedJul 12, 2023 | 8:27 PM

BRS leaders and party cadres held protests across various districts and burnt effigies of Congress's Revanth Reddy. (Twitter)

BRS leaders and party cadres held protests across various districts and burnt effigies of Congress's Revanth Reddy. (Twitter)

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy’s observation that eight hours of power supply to the farm sector would be enough triggered protests by the BRS for the second day on Wednesday, 12 July.

This, even as the grand old party organised rival protests claiming that the ruling party was distorting the Congress leader’s statement.

The day began with BRS workers “hanging” Revanth Reddy’s effigy on electric sub-stations, while leaders lashed out at the Congress leadership, claiming it had shown its true colours regarding free and round-the-clock power supply to farmers.

In the districts as well, the BRS workers organised demonstrations against the “anti-farmer” nature of the Congress and said that the state was lucky that the grand old party had bared its true intentions even before the elections.

They later set fire to Revanth Reddy’s effigies in villages. They demanded that Revanth step down as TPCC president.

Revanth, while speaking at the Telugu Association of North America conference in Philadelphia in the US, said that one hour of power supply was enough for one acre of land, and three-hour supply for those who had no more than three acres as they constituted the majority of farmers.

All in all, eight hours of power supply would meet the requirements of farmers of all categories, he said.

Also Read: ‘8 hours of power enough for farmers,’ says Revanth Reddy

BRS protests across districts

At Vidyut Soudha in Hyderabad, BRS MLC K Kavitha and MLA Danam Nagender took part in a demonstration demanding that Revanth Reddy tender an unconditional apology to farmers, while minister V Srinivas Goud led the protests in Mahabubnagar.

Kavitha, addressing the demonstrators, wondered why the Congress should object if the government provided 24 hours of power supply.

Taking to Twitter, she asked Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi why should it pinch the Congress if the state government provided power supply round-the-clock to the farmers.

Also read: KCR announces BRS stand on UCC issue; party to oppose Bill

Early in the morning, KTR tweeted, asking farmers to choose between Revanth Reddy, who says three hours of power supply was enough, and KCR, who wants to give 24 hours of power supply.

He said that this was a second warning to the people on what lay in store for them if they did not understand the Congress’ game plan.

“The Congress has already said that it would wind up Dharani. and now it says it will restrict power supply to three hours,” KTR said.

He recalled the then-chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu describing agriculture as a useless avocation, while “chota Chandrababu Naidu” (Revanth Reddy) was now saying that power supply to the farm sector for more than three hours would be a waste of energy.

“This is nothing but insulting the small and marginal farmers,” he said, describing Revanth as a vulture who did not know the problems of the farmers.

Also read: Upbeat Telangana Congress readies for mega Kollapura meet

Congress counters BRS protests 

Rivalling the BRS protests, the Congress also took to the streets, trying to call the regional party’s bluff.

Congress leaders have been insisting that the BRS leaders are twisting Revanth Reddy’s statement on the power supply issue.

While some leaders took part in Satyagraha Deeksha at Gandhi Bhavan to protest the disqualification of party senior leader Rahul Gandhi, others organised protests at the sub-stations in their districts where they set fire to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar’s effigy.

Telangana Congress in-charge Manikrao Thakre tweeted that after coming to power in the state, the Congress would continue to supply 24-hour power supply free of cost and that it was committed to implementing all the promises made in the farmers’ declaration.

AICC secretary D Sridhar Babu said that BRS has called for protests to help the BJP as it would divert the attention of the people from the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha, which would serve the interests of the saffron party.

He sought to allay apprehensions that Congress would wind up free power supply to farmers, asking them not to be carried away by the BRS’ campaign.

“The party will continue free power supply after coming to power in the state,” he declared.

Also Read: Congress is ‘All India Corruption Committee’, KTR retorts

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