Telangana's ruling party TRS continues protests against Centre over paddy procurement

Stepping up pressure on the Centre for procurement of paddy from Telangana, the state's ruling party TRS on Thursday staged protests across the state.

Ministers, MPs and state legislators of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) led the protests in district headquarters demanding that the Centre procure the entire paddy from the state during the ongoing Rabi season.

Public representatives and party leaders and workers in large numbers participated in the protests in all 33 districts. Holding party flags and paddy plants in their hands, the protestors raised slogans against the Central government.

Alleging that the Narendra Modi government is biased towards Telangana, the TRS leaders vowed to continue the protest till it comes forward to procure every single grain of paddy.

TRS working president and minister for industries, information technology, municipal administration and urban development K. T. Rama Rao along with other party leaders and workers participated in the protest in Sircilla. He slammed the Modi government for not procuring paddy from Telangana.

Minister for Finance and Health T. Harish Rao led the protest at Siddipet. He said it was the Centre's responsibility to procure paddy grown in the state and it should come forward to lift the entire stocks from Telangana as it is doing from Punjab and other states.

Harish Rao said last year the Centre exported rice but lied in the Parliament that no exports were made. "They are uttering lies in the Parliament on every issue," he said.

State energy minister Jagdish Reddy and home minister Mehmood Ali led the protest in Nalgonda.

For the second consecutive day, the TRS organised protests over the issue. On Wednesday, the TRS cadres had blocked Mumbai, Nagpur, Bengaluru and Vijayawada.

The party plans to organise protests in all villages. State ministers and public representatives will stage a protest in Delhi on April 11.