Slamming the Congress, BRS chief KCR said that the funds would be disbursed as soon as the party returned to power on 3 December.
KCR addressing a rally. (X)
After the Election Commission of India (ECI) withdrew its consent for the release of Rythu Bandhu money to farmers on Monday, 27 November, the ruling BRS, apart from making a representation to the poll body to reconsider its decision, launched a scathing attack on the Congress, holding the party responsible for the ECI’s decision.
In a message on X (formerly Twitter), BRS working president KT Rama Rao, asked the Congress why it was against Rythu Bandhu — which provides ₹10,000 per acre annually to farmers in two tranches — and why it had persuaded the ECI to withdraw its consent for the release of funds by lodging a complaint.
He wanted to know why the Congress was trying to exact revenge on farmers and why they were “full of hatred” for farmers. He made an appeal to the farmers to welcome Rythu Bandhu and drive away the “vultures”.
పంట పెట్టుబడి ఇస్తే
కాంగ్రెసోళ్లకు కడుపుమంట ఎందుకు..?ఎరువులకు విత్తనాలకు పైసలిచ్చే
రైతబంధును బంద్ పెట్టిస్తున్నారెందుకు..?ఎవుసం చేసే రైతులపైన పగ ఎందుకు..?
అన్నదాతకు సాయం అందకుండా
అడ్డుపుల్లలు వేసి వికృతానందం పొందుతున్నారెందుకు…?దుక్కిదున్నే బక్క రైతులపై ద్వేషం…
— KTR (@KTRBRS) November 27, 2023
Addressing a rally at Shadnagar, about 50 km from Hyderabad, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao also slammed the Congress for lodging a complaint to stop the disbursal of Rythu Bandhu funds.
“It is a regular programme. Not a new programme. This is the sixth year of Rythu Bandhu disbursal. They think that if Rythu Bandhu is stopped, they will get votes. How many days can you (Congress) stop?,” Rao asked.
“After 3 December, our government is going to come back. From 6 December onwards we will release it happily,” he said.
The Congress, in its representation to the ECI on 26 November, sought steps to prevent the BRS from using the permission given for the release of Rythu Bandhu money to their advantage in its poll campaign.
In his letter to the ECI, senior vice-president of the state unit of the party G Niranjan referred to Finance and Health Minister T Harish Rao’s announcement that Rythu Bandhu money would be credited to farmers’ accounts from Tuesday, and sought a direction restraining the ruling BRS from using the permission by the ECI in the poll campaign.
Niranjan said: “We request your good self to put restrictions on the BRS not to mention the Rythu Bandhu disbursement in their political campaign.”
He said that Harish Rao made announcements at election rallies in Mahabubabad and Alair that the ECI had granted permission for disbursement of ₹7,500 crore which was ready with the government.
Harish Rao also had said that as there were three bank holidays, by Tuesday morning, the money would be credited to farmers’ account even before they compete their breakfast.
Within hours of the ECI withdrawing its consent to disburse the Rythu Bandhu assistance to farmers, the ruling BRS made a representation to the poll body to reconsider its decision considering agriculture operations for the rabi season have already commenced.
In the representation, BRS general secretaries K Keshava Rao and Soma Bharat Kumar disputed the claim that Harish Rao had violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), in force even for an ongoing scheme like the Rythu Bnadhu, on which the ECI’s decision was based.
They said that Harish Rao had not made any comments in violation of the ECI order on 25 November. They claimed that the minister merely thanked the ECI for allowing the disbursement of the scheme amount to the farmers in the state.
The party reiterated that the Rythu Bandhu is an ongoing scheme and has been in implementation for he last five-and-a-half years.
They also brought to the ECI’s attention that the agriculture season has been advanced due to good rainfall in recent days. Farmers have stared agriculture operations and they require assistance immediately, they said.
They also drew the attention to the assistance that was credited to farmers under PM’s Kisan scheme. There is no difference between the two schemes so far as assistance to the farmers is considered. The stoppage of disbursement could cause irreparable loss to farmers since an entire agriculture season would be lost, they pointed out.
Harish Rao, addressing an election rally on 26 November, had announced that from Tuesday, 28 November, Rythu Bandhu money would be credited to farmers’ accounts.
He said: “The Congress leaders had lodged a complaint in Delhi for the stoppage of the disbursement of Rythu Bandhu money to the farmers. But, ultimately justice prevailed. God was on the side of the righteous. ECI gave permission yesterday that Rythu Bandhu money could be credited to farmers’ accounts.
“Today is Sunday and tomorrow is Monday but it is kartheeka pournami. On Tuesday morning, even as you have your morning tea, your mobile phones will let out beep sounds continuously as Rythu Bandhu money is credited.
“The Congress leaders might already be panicking. We got clearance for pensions and now we got consent for Rythu Bandhu.”
Earlier in the day, the ECI, in a letter to the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Telangana, said that the consent given for release of Rythu Bandhu money was being withdrawn as the state government had violated the MCC in force that governs the transfer of financial assistance of the ongoing schemes.
The ECI directive appeared to have been based on the Congress complaint. The Opposition party had said the release of the Rythu Bandhu money was being used as a tool to influence the voters.
The ECI in its communication to the CEO said that Finance and Health Minister T Harish Rao, who is also a candidate in Siddipet, had violated the code of conduct by publicising the release of the Rythu Bandhu funds, which amounted to disturbing the level playing field in the elections.
The commission said that it had been informed by the CEO that Harish Rao made statements regarding the disbursement of the Rythu Bandhu scheme by a particular time before the date of polling, which was widely reported in the media on 26 November.
The commission said that it had consented to the release of the assistance under several conditions, including that no new beneficiaries should be added to the list, no publicity should be given, no public functions should be orgnanised, no political functionary will be involved in the process of disbursement and as far as possible direct electronic transfer of cash compensation should be made to the accounts of the farmers, and that there should not be distribution of any cheques.
The commission also noted that the rabi installments of the Rythu Bandhu assistance were disbursed by the state during the October-January period during the past five years.
It noted that there was neither any fixed date of disbursement prescribed in the scheme nor any special significance of disbursement in November was assigned in the design or performance of the scheme.
The commission recalled that the state government had informed that disbursement of the assistance was proposed from 24 November in full compliance with the conditions laid down in the MCC and based on the assurance given by the state government, the ECI said it conveyed that it had no objection for the release of funds even during the silent period and poll day.
The ECI has asked the CEO to convey to the state government before 3 pm on Monday, 27 November, that its “no objection” to releasing the Rythu Bandhu money stood withdrawn till the MCC is in force in the state.
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