MLN Murthy / Bhupalapalli

State IT and Industries Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu strongly criticized the BRS leadership, accusing them of misleading farmers through vote bank politics. Speaking on Tuesday, he expressed his displeasure at the BRS leaders shedding "crocodile tears" for farmers, despite their failures during their ten-year rule. Sridhar Babu questioned the legitimacy of the 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme, alleging that it led to the misuse of public funds, with payments being made for uncultivated land, stone-filled plots, and land meant for road construction and real estate projects. He claimed that from 2018 to 2023, a staggering Rs. 25,672 crore was paid for such non-eligible lands.

The Minister also reminded the BRS leaders of the severe hardships faced by farmers, particularly tenant farmers, during their tenure. He pointed out that between 2014 and 2022, 6,121 farmers in Telangana committed suicide due to the burden of debt and unprofitable agriculture. These figures, revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau, were discussed in Parliament in 2022.

Sridhar Babu also praised the current government's efforts to support farmers through the 'Rythu Bharosa' scheme, which he said was a step in the right direction, correcting the previous mistakes of the BRS government. He further stressed that the BRS leadership should acknowledge the difficulties faced by the farmers and support the government's initiatives instead of continuing their baseless criticism.

Additionally, he reminded the public that despite the financial troubles left by the previous government, the current administration waived Rs. 21,000 crore in farmer loans, reaffirming their commitment to the agricultural community. Sridhar Babu urged the BRS leaders to step away from media theatrics and focus on addressing the real issues faced by the people.