BRS leader Rama Rao hits out at Congress govt for 'repression' of farmers

Hyderabad: Hitting out at the Congress government in Telangana for alleged "repression" of Scheduled Tribes and other farmers in connection with a recent attack on officials, BRS working president K T Rama Rao on Monday said the party will go across the state in support of the STs.

Addressing a 'Maha Dharna' (protest) organised by BRS at Mahabubabad against the arrests and repression, he said the STs should protest if injustice is meted out to anyone from the community across the state.

Referring to the November 11 attack on officials during a public hearing for land acquisition at Lagacharla village in Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's assembly constituency of Kodangal, he alleged that farmers, belonging to ST and others, refused to part with their lands and revolted against Reddy.

"We will gather support across the state for the women of Kodangal. We will go all over the state. We will get together farmers from every 'thaanda' and village against (Chief Minister) Revanth Reddy and Congress government," Rao said.

He also said the previous BRS government took several steps for the welfare of STs, including increasing the percentage of reservations from six to 10 per cent, providing 'pattas' (titles) for 'podu' (a form of shifting agriculture) lands and making 'thaandas' (habitations) as Gram Panchayats.

Former BRS MLA Patnam Narender Reddy was among those arrested in connection with the attack on government officials.

The BRS had hit out at the government for the arrest of "innocent farmers", including those belonging to ST, and alleged police high-handedness in connection with the assault on officials.

The CM said on November 23 that the government would take a relook at the cases against farmers, but won't spare the conspirators behind the attack on government officials.