He claimed that under KCR, Rythu Bandhu funds were released during crop season, but under Revanth Reddy, funds are only provided during elections. With local and Panchayat elections nearing, Congress is unveiling a new strategy
Published Jan 28, 2025 | 10:36 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 28, 2025 | 10:36 PM
KTR accuses Revanth Reddy's Congress government of exploiting farmers
BRS working president K T Rama Rao on Tuesday, 28 January, called the Telangana government to account for its failures in implementing its promises to the people. He particularly called them out for not paying Rythu Bharosa money to farmers as promised.
Speaking at a dharna organised at Nalgonda, the BRS leader blamed the Congress for the plight of the farmers of Nalgonda district, subjecting them to suffering by not crediting the Rythu Bharosa funds to their accounts.
KTR said, “Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy claimed that at the stroke of midnight of Republic Day, he would transfer Rythu Bharosa funds to the farmers’ accounts. But did he? When the BRS was in power, KCR had paid Rythu Bandhu to famers regularly since 2017. He had deposited Rs 73,000 crore into farmers’ accounts.”
The BRS leader said that the Congress is known for taking the people for a ride. “You have seen Congress for the last 55 years. It was the Congress which made the children of Nalgonda die because of lack of drinking water. It was the same party that turned the youth of Nalgonda into living-dead.”
He recalled KCR warning the people ahead of the last Assembly elections that if the Congress came to power, all welfare schemes would be suspended. “His warning came true. A few days ahead of the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Congress government credited Rythu Bandhu once (as Rythu Bharsoa was rolled out), but it was with money that the previous BRS government had saved for payment to farmers.”
He said that during the rule of KCR, Rythu Bandhu funds were credited during the crop season. But under Revanth Reddy’s rule, funds are released only during elections. Now, with local body and Panchayat elections approaching, Congress is coming out with a new game plan. “They said Rythu Bandhu funds will be credited from January 26 to March 31, but they haven’t clarified which year’s March,” he said, lacing his words in sarcasm.
He took offence to “fools” talking nonsense about KCR. “They are asking what KCR had done for Nalgonda?” he questioned.
He said they should know that it was KCR who had made Telangana number one in paddy production, surpassing Punjab and Haryana. “KCR was the leader who ensured irrigation water reached every last field and every last drop in Telangana,” he said.
He said that while he was on his way to Nalgonda, a farmer from Peda Kaprathi approached him and said with a twinge of guilt, “We rejected the milch cow and placed our bet on the bull. But it is kicking us now.”
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
