Jagan launches hunger fast demanding MSP

In the first major political event after his resounding victory in the by-elections to the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, Ysr Congress Party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Sunday launched his 48-hour `Rythu Deeksha’ at Nallapadu, demanding that the government announce a Minimum Support Price on farm produce.

The newly re-elected MP has chosen the venue to launch his 48-hour hunger fast, a 15-acre plot on the Guntur–Hyderabad Highway close to the Agricultural Market Yard, carefully.

The venue has enabled thousands of farmers from the adjoining districts to  make their way and support him.

The Kadapa MP launched his hunger-fast after garlanding a statue of former chief minister and his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy at the “YSR Rythu Pranaganam.

He then went on to lash out at the government, accusing it of having failed ‘totally’ to solve the problems of farmers in the state.

Mr Jaganmohan Reddy reminded the farmers that the Minimum Support Price for paddy had been Rs 1200 during Dr YSR’s reign, but now they were forced to sell their produce for as less as Rs 800 per quintal. “Is this not the government’s negligence that you are unable to get justice and proper remuneration for your hard work and toil,” he said.

“This fast is a protest against the government’s negligence and disinterest about your welfare,” Mr Jaganmohan Reddy said. He further alleged that the government had failed to solve farmers’ problems.

The timing of the hunger-fast could not have been more significant.

Fresh from his unprecedented victory in the by-polls, the Congress in jitters and the farmers in anger, Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s hunger-strike is attracting the attention of the people across the state.

The farmers have been demanding that the government announce the Minimum Support Price for paddy, cotton and chillies, but the government has so far demurred.

The importance of this protest fast can be gauged by the fact that Ysr Congress Party leaders SV Subba Reddy, B Karunakar Reddy and Ambati Rambabu personally supervising the arrangements. 

Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, Warangal MLA Konda Surekha, Macherla MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, Prathipadu MLA M Sucharita, Kovvur MLA Prasanna kumar, MLAs Srinivasa Reddy and Srikanth Reddy, former MLAs Mareppa and Venkata Ramana, MLCs Jupudi Prabhakar Rao, Pulla Padmavathi and former MLC HA Rahman were present in the programme.