The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Statewide protests by farmers’ bodies

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Friday, Jun 27, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Statewide protests by farmers’ bodies

‘Jail bharo’ agitation seeking Rs. 1,000 MSP for a quintal of paddy

- Photo G. N. Rao

On warpath: Farmers confronting the police near Khammam Collectorate on Friday during a protest demonstration demanding Rs.1,000 as MSP for paddy.

HYDERABAD: Farmers organisations of Opposition parties staged a Statewide ‘jail bharo’ agitation on Thursday demanding Rs. 1,000 Minimum Support Price for paddy.

Scores of activists were arrested in several districts as they laid siege to the collectorates, obstructing employees from entering their offices. Police resorted to a mild lathicharge in Hyderabad and Khammam districts to disperse the activists of farmers’ bodies who thronged the collectorates in large numbers.

Scuffles between the police and the agitators were witnessed in several districts when the agitators tried to break the security cordon and the protesters were physically lifted as they refused to vacate the premises.

Agitated protesters courted arrests in Vizianagaram district while picketing was organised at the Warangal Collectorate even as the police had a tough time controlling the surging agitators in Nalgonda district.

State leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Ryotu Sangham of CPI, CPI (M)-affiliated Rythu Sangham, Telugu Rythu of the TDP and Kisan Morcha of BJP staged a demonstration in front of the Agriculture Commissioner’s office in the State capital and raised slogans against the Government’s failure to alleviate the plight of farmers. They were demanding enhancement of MSP for paddy and remunerative prices for other crops, steps to overcome shortage of fertilizers and seed and provision of bank loans to farmers on war footing.

YSR at receiving end

Speaking to reporters, Ryotu Sangham leader K. Ramakrishna, Telugu Rythu leader Ch. Muthyam Reddy and others criticised Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for failing to fulfil his assurances to farmers.

They took objection to remarks from a section of Congress leaders claiming that the frontal organisations of the Opposition parties were politicising the farmers’ issues.

They expressed concern that the banks were not providing loans to farmers as the scale of finance was yet to be communicated.

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Andhra Pradesh