Telangana: Tension near assembly as BRS protests for maize farmers, demands MSP and subsidies

Hyderabad (Telangana) [india], March 18 (ANI): Tension prevailed near the State Assembly as leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) staged a protest in support of maize farmers, demanding immediate government intervention, implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP), and an additional ₹500 bonus.

The BRS organised a rally from Gun Park to the Assembly. However, the situation turned tense when police and Assembly marshals stopped BRS MLAs and MLCs at the entry point, leading to a scuffle. Marshals allegedly behaved aggressively and forcibly snatched maize that the legislators were carrying as a symbol of protest.

During the commotion, former minister and BRS Deputy Floor Leader T Harish Rao sustained an injury to his hand and was seen bleeding, further escalating tensions. In protest, BRS members staged a sit-in at the Assembly gate, raising slogans against the government and terming its functioning as a "police state," before eventually proceeding into the Assembly.
BRS MLA Dr Kalvakuntla Sanjay Kumar strongly criticised the government's inaction, stating, "Farmers are suffering because they haven't got any input subsidy. Farmers are on the streets, dying by suicide, but the government has not been responding. Our request is to give farmers their due, ensure MSP, and save them."

Echoing similar concerns, former minister T. Harish Rao said, "On one hand, farmers are suffering due to the lack of MSP; on the other, unseasonal rains have soaked maize laid out for drying in market yards and threshing floors, leaving farmers in distress. Hailstorms and rains over the past two days have caused extensive damage to maize, mango, and other crops."
He criticised the government's policy implementation, adding, "The Congress government made tall claims about crop insurance in the budget, but has failed to implement it. This government neither implements crop insurance nor provides input subsidies. For the past two years, farmers have not received input subsidies."
Harish Rao further demanded immediate action, stating, "The government must collect reports from all districts on crop losses, conduct enumeration, and provide input subsidies without delay. Procurement centres should be opened immediately, and maize must be purchased at MSP."
Questioning the government's earlier advisories, he said, "Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao asked farmers to shift from paddy to alternative crops. Trusting them, farmers cultivated maize on nearly 8 lakh acres. But after harvest, they have been abandoned."
He added, "Even after 15 days of maize arrivals in markets, procurement centres have not been opened. With MSP at ₹2400, farmers are being forced to sell at Rs1600-1700 to middlemen, suffering heavy losses."
Raising serious concerns, he asked, "Is the government allowing middlemen to buy produce first and then planning to purchase from them at higher rates? It must clarify whether it stands with farmers or middlemen."
The protest has intensified the political confrontation between the ruling Congress government and the opposition BRS, bringing farmers' issues back into sharp focus in the state. (ANI)