Amaravati, (Samajweekly) Andhra Pradesh government has decided to allow peaceful farmers’ protest on Tuesday, declared as ‘Bharat Bandh’ (nationwide strike) protesting the Central government’s farm bills.
“Educational institutions will be closed and we appeal to the farmers’ associations to cooperate and observe the bandh peacefully,” said Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu.
He highlighted that several rounds of talks have already been held between the Centre and farmers’ unions on new agriculture bills and hoped that a solution could be found soon to allay farmers’ fears on minimum support price.
“We also respect their feelings on calling a nationwide bandh on Tuesday. However, if the farmers’ associations observe bandh till 1 p.m. without any untoward incident it would not inconvenience the general public,” observed the agriculture minister.
Meanwhile, all educational institutions will be shut in the southern state on Tuesday while APSRTC buses will not run till 1 p.m.
Similarly, government offices will open after 1 p.m.
He castigated opposition leader and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president Nara Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly unconditionally supporting the farm bills in the Parliament.
“YSRCP on the other hand has extended support on the condition that MSP is assured of to the farmers by the Centre,” he said.
However, he claimed that Naidu has now taken a turnaround as TDP reportedly will submit a memorandum to all the district collectors.
“While unconditionally supporting the bill in Parliament and now giving memorandum to collectors shows how far he can stoop. What role does the Collectors have to play in the Central Bill,” he highlighted.
Kannababu alleged that when the bill was passed in September, Naidu did not write even a single letter to the Centre till November nor he announced that he would go to Delhi for a dharna.
He alleged that all these are Naidu’s theatrics and hoped that the issue gets solved amicably soon.
“Our party believes that if the farmer prospers the state and nation will prosper and ours is a farmer-friendly government,” Kannababu added.
