Bhatti fires salvo at BJP, BRS over farmers welfare

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and BRS, accusing both parties of misleading farmers and spreading false propaganda against the Congress government’s welfare and development initiatives.

Addressing a public meeting at Pallagutta village in Station Ghanpur constituency, Bhatti said the previous BRS government had pushed Telangana into a debt burden of nearly Rs8 lakh crore during its decade-long rule, forcing the present government to spend around Rs76,000 crore annually on loan repayments and interest. He said these funds could otherwise have been utilised for welfare and development programmes.

Defending the Congress government’s record on agriculture, Bhatti said Telangana procured a record 72.30 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the Rabi season and even purchased rain-soaked paddy at Minimum Support Price (MSP) to protect farmers.

He questioned why the BJP-led Centre was not procuring paddy through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) despite announcing MSP. The Deputy Chief Minister also highlighted major welfare measures, including the implementation of aRs22,000 crore farm loan waiver in a single phase and the sanctioning of 4.50 lakhIndiramma houses at a cost of Rs22,500 crore.

Bhatti announced that the government would soon launch a free accident insurance scheme providing Rs5 lakh coverage to 1.15 crore families. He also said power infrastructure works worth over Rs60 crore had been undertaken in Station Ghanpur constituency and assured support for further development proposals submitted by local MLA KadiyamSrihari.

Bhatti further accused former minister Harish Rao of making daily allegations against the government merely to remain politically relevant.