In a letter to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, BRS working president KT Rama Rao has alleged that the Congress government has deceived farmers in Telangana. He claimed that Congress falsely stated that it had fully waived farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh per family in three instalments. Tensions have escalated between the Congress, led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, and the BRS, with the latter claiming that the loan waiver is a complete sham as many farmers were left out of the scheme.

In his letter, a copy of which was also sent to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, KT Rama Rao wrote, “The farmers of our state feel cheated and abandoned.” He reminded Rahul Gandhi that the loan waiver promise was a key component of the Congress party’s “Warangal Rythu Declaration” released by him in 2022.

He pointed out that although the government had initiated the process, it fell far short of what the party had committed as a poll promise. “A significant number of farmers across Telangana have been excluded from the scheme, despite meeting all the eligibility criteria… Data from the State Level Bankers’ Committee reveals the gravity of the situation. Banks disbursed Rs 49,500 crore in crop loans to farmers during the financial year 2023-24, but only Rs 17,933 crore have been waived, covering just 22.37 lakh farmers,” Rao pointed out.

Moreover, the Congress government’s initial assessment estimated a requirement of Rs 40,000 crore to fulfil the loan waiver. However, this was revised to Rs 31,000 crore in a Cabinet meeting and further cut to Rs 26,000 in Budget allocations. Ultimately, the government spent only Rs 17,933 crore in three instalments, Rao complained in his letter.

According to KTR, as Rao is popularly known, his party has received more than one lakh complaints within a week, with farmers being severely affected by the “arbitrary restrictions” imposed by the government. Before signing off, KTR reiterated that the BRS will stand beside the farmers in their fight for their rights.

TDP MP writes to Nadda on RG Kar incident

The chairperson of the TDP Parliamentary Party, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, has written to Union Health Minister JP Nadda urging immediate legislative action to protect doctors and address the grievances of patients. This comes in the wake of the tragic rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Devarayalu has called for stringent legislation to prevent violence against healthcare professionals. He also called for ensuring that hospitals and medical establishments are designated as safe zones, with enhanced security measures and swift legal recourse in the event of a security breach.