• Shabbir Ali addresses Kamareddy constituency review meeting at Bibipet Mandal
• Congress will wage legal battle to protect rights of paddy farmers: Shabbir

Kamareddy, October 31, 2021: Former Minister & ex-Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir has warned the TRS Government against increasing the power tariff and RTC fares. He also announced that the Congress party would wage a legal battle, if required, to defend the rights and interests of paddy farmers.

Addressing a review meeting of the Congress party in the Kamareddy constituency at Bibipet Mandal in the Kamareddy district on Sunday Shabbir Ali alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao was creating economic problems for all sections of the society so as to strengthen his grip in the State. Citing instances, he said in view of good rainfall, lakhs of paddy farmers were expecting a good yield and profits in the Yasangi season. Since CM KCR apparently hates to see the happiness on the faces of farmers, he issued a ‘Tughlaqi Farman’ asking them not to cultivate paddy.

He said lakhs of farmers would suffer huge losses if they opt for alternate crops other than paddy. He said if the Food Corporation of India (FCI) was refusing to buy the paddy, then the State Government should purchase the crop. “TRS Govt took loans of Rs. 4 lakh crore in the name of irrigation and other projects. Most of the loans were taken to make payments to contractors who give commission to TRS leaders. But CM KCR is not willing to spend any money to help the farmers by giving them compensation or buy their produce at MSP,” he said.

Shabbir Ali announced that the Congress party would wage a legal battle, if required, to protect the rights and interests of lakhs of paddy farmers. He demanded that the State Government take up the issue with the Central Government to pressurise the FCI to amend its order of not procuring paddy.

Stating that Bibinagar Mandal was created in Kamareddy due to his representations, he assured that the farmers of this Mandal of full support if they wish to cultivate paddy. The Congress party refuses to obey the ‘Tughlaqi Farmans’ of TRS Govt and it would explore all legal options to ensure that the farmers enjoy the freedom to cultivate the crop of their choice.

The Congress leader also slammed the BJP Govt at the Centre and TRS Govt in Telangana for rising inflation. He said that the petrol and diesel prices in Telangana were the highest in the country due to the Central taxes and State’s VAT. He said if CM KCR was really worried about the rising fuel prices, then why was he not writing a letter to the Centre asking it to bring the petroleum products under GST. He said that the rise in fuel prices has also led to the increase in prices of essential commodities and services putting a huge burden on the common man. He blamed both BJP and TRS Govts for rising inflation in the country, especially in Telangana.

Reacting to the reports of the proposed hike in the power tariff and RTC fares, Shabbir Ali warned the TRS Govt of mass agitation if the common people were burdened. “The unplanned lockdown due to Covid-19 has badly hit the economy. Lakhs of people have either lost their jobs or their revenues have decreased. They are already facing huge economic problems due to an increase in fuel prices, other products and services. At this juncture, hike in power tariff and RTC fares will break their backbone,” he said while adding that the Congress party would launch agitation against any such hike.

“TRS leaders did not speak about the hike in power tariff or RTC fares till yesterday due to Huzurabad bye-elections. Once the bye-elections are over, the ruling party leaders have thrown away their fake mask of being people-friendly. I’m quite confident that CM KCR will not implement Dalit Bandhu or fulfill any other promise he made during the bye-elections irrespective of whether TRS wins or lose elections,” he said.

Earlier, Shabbir Ali paid rich tributes to the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary. Later, he led a massive bike rally before inaugurating the Congress party office of Bibinagar Mandal.