Hyderabad: The Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs staged an innovative protest by reaching the Telangana Assembly with a push-cart with representations from farmers during the ongoing Budget Session on Tuesday, March 17.
They were carrying representations demanding the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in the state and resolutions of various problems being faced by the farmers in their constituencies.
MLAs Palvai Harish and Payal Shankar led the protest, along with their supporters, carrying placards with their demands. They said they were trying to draw the state government’s attention by submitting their representations.
The BJP MLAs first went to the Martyrs Memorial at Gun Park, after which they tried to enter the Telangana Assembly. However, they were stopped by the security personnel stationed at the entrance and denied permission to carry the pushcart into the premises.
The security staff asked the MLAs to hand over the representations to them, and assured them that they would be handed over to the officials concerned.
The MLAs said that the state government has been promising during every budget that it will implement PMFBY, but has failed to do so. They said even the crop insurance scheme of the state government was not being implemented.
Harish claimed that the state government failed to complete the farm loan waiver and that the farmers were not even getting financial assistance under the Rythu Bharosa scheme.
“This government has betrayed the farmers,” he said, observing that farmers were ready to teach the Congress government a lesson.
Underlining the need for the implementation of PMFBY, he pointed out that farmers suffered huge losses due to the unseasonal rains, which damaged the crops recently.
MLA Payal Shankar told media persons that the farmers submitted representations to them highlighting their problems. “We want to give these representations to the Chief Minister and demand implementation of Fasal Bima Yojana,” he said.
The MLA, who was carrying a bunch of papers on his head, said they were also demanding the waiver of all farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh, and the immediate release of funds under Rythu Bharosa.
