The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP contests YSR’s claim on rice price

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP contests YSR’s claim on rice price

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam on Friday contested Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s assertion that superfine rice was being sold at Rs. 20 a kg and prices of other essential commodities were under check.

At a press conference, TDP spokesperson N. Rajakumari displayed one kg rice packets bought from three ‘kirana’ shops at Chintal Basti, Masab Tank and Krishna Nagar in city at Rs. 30 a kg. Similarly bengal gram was bought at prices ranging from Rs. 48 to Rs.54 per kg. Prices of other commodities too were on the higher side.

She said her attempts to buy rice from supermarkets went in vain as none of them was selling superfine variety. This being the case she wondered how the Chief Minister could come up with his claim and challenged him to accompany her on a “padayatra” to see for himself the situation at ground level. Meanwhile, Telugu Rythu, (farmers wing of TDP), president, Ch. Muthyam Reddy condemned the “attack” on farmers by Congress workers at Narketpalli in Nalgonda district when all they demanded was a fair compensation for the loss of their lands to the Udayasamudram lift irrigation project.

Lok Satta’s charge

The Lok Satta on Friday contradicted Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’ claim that super fine rice was available for Rs.20 a kg in the market. A party press release charged Dr. Reddy with ‘uttering a lie’. They said people were forced to buy superfine rice at Rs.27 a kg. If the government was sincere it should invoke provisions of the Essential Commodities Act to ensure that it was freely available.

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