KCR maintaining criminal silence on farmers suicides: Shabbir Ali

Deputy CLP leader in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir has strongly criticised Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for taking the farmers’ suicide lightly during his media briefing after State Cabinet’s meeting on Friday night.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress Legislature Party office here on Saturday, Shabbir Ali said that KCR’s silence on suicide by over 250 farmers was highly condemnable. “When asked by a reporter, he merely mentioned that he read about them in newspapers. He also said that the number of suicide is not so high. This reaction is totally shocking. He must have announced ex-gratia as per GO 421 for the families of those who committed suicide and also provided relief to those who are in distress,” he said.

He also ridiculed KCR’s reaction on ongoing energy crisis and described it as "too little and too late".

Shabbir Ali said while he fully supports the Chief Minister's accusation against his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Nara Chandrababu Naidu of ignoring Telangana in power sector, he asked him to explain the reasons for his late reaction. "KCR is reacting only after crops spread across lakhs of acres of land in Telangana were lost and nearly 250 farmers have already committed suicide. Why have you remained silent for the last three months?" he asked.

"Instead of making a hue and cry now, KCR should have reacted early to protect the interest of farmers. He should have convened an all-party meeting or take a delegation to the Centre two-three months ago. The decision to approach the Supreme Court too has been taken very late. Why KCR did not make public the allegations of Ashok Hinduja of him being pressurised by Naidu for not supplying power to Telangana. Why KCR did not inform this to Governor ESL Narasimhan?" Shabbir Ali asked.

He also asked the Chief Minister to take appropriate legal opinion while approaching the Supreme Court.

The former energy minister said while Chandrababu Naidu has completely neglected Telangana in power sector during his regime, it was the Congress Government which started power projects in Bhupalpally, Jurala, Sriramsagar, Kothagudem and Krishnapatnam to benefit the region. Although the Jurala project was initiated during TDP regime, the then government did not even complete its financial closure. He reminded that it was the Congress-led UPA Government which granted 54% share in power to Telangana in AP Reorganisation Act itself in view of existence of nearly 20 lakh agricultural pumpsets in the new State.

Calling Chandrababu Naidu a habitual liar, Shabbir Ali also accused KCR of waking up from the slumber only after Telangana farmers lost their crops. He also criticised KCR's contention that Telangana will be a power-surplus State after three years. "The Chief Minister himself should suggest what farmers should do for the next three years. Should they continue to suffer losses and commit suicides while waiting for realization of KCR’s plans? What is the alternate that KCR is proposing to farmers in view of energy crisis?" he asked.

Shabbir Ali said that the Congress party would certainly support the Telangana Government to protect the interest of farmers. "We are ready to come to Delhi or even stage a dharna at Naidu's residence. But you must be quick and clear in your actions," he told KCR.