If such an indent is not given .. we will bring the paddy before the India Gate: Minister Wemula

Telangana Minister Vemula Prashant Reddy was furious with the Center. The minister said there was still a stockpile of 60 lakh tonnes of grain in Telangana and if the central government did not buy all the grain, it would be brought to Delhi and dumped at the India Gate. He was speaking at a media conference in Delhi.

Vemula said that only 60 lakh tonnes of grain ripened in Telangana has been indented to be procured. He said that the target was also completed with this. He said he had appealed to Union Minister Piyush Goyal to give a written assurance that he would also procure over 60 lakh metric tonnes of grain in the coming years. Days passed but there was no response from the center.

Wemula commented that it was very unfortunate that Piyush Goyal’s appointment had not been given even though he had asked for it through the resident commissioner. This is not the method to be followed by the central government. He said the Center was taking the attitude seriously on behalf of Telangana farmers. Grain purchasing centers are running. The FCI and the Center have not increased godowns on rice procurement.

Wemula recalled that Union Minister Piyush Goyal had promised in Parliament that he would take as much grain as he could harvest in Telangana during the monsoon season. Speaking to media, Kishan Reddy also promised that. However, he commented that it has not been clarified yet. According to the promise given in the Parliament, if the letter is not given with a written guarantee, 60 lakh metric tonnes of grain bought from the farmers will be brought to Delhi and dumped at the India Gate. He was incensed that the central government was acting in a way that severely insulted the farmers of Telangana.