Energy Minister G. Jagadish Reddy and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president and Nalgonda MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy were on Sunday engaged in a heated verbal spat at a meeting to chalk out farming strategy as per regulated cultivation policy.
The meeting called by District Collector Prashant Jeevan Patil, held at Udayaditya Bhavan on the Collectorate campus, was attended by officials and leaders of various parties from Nalgonda Assembly constituency.
According to Nalgonda MLA K. Bhupal Reddy, the record procurement of paddy here in the concluded season was the result of the efforts put in by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the Minister. And for more profitable agriculture as envisioned in the new policy, he said, every leader should set aside politics and take forward the policy.
Other leaders present were Zilla Parishad chairman Banda Narender Reddy, MLC A. Narsi Reddy and MP B. Lingaiah Yadav.
When Energy Minister Jagadish Reddy started his speech saying, “The TRS government is the only one to make full loan waiver for farmers,” the Congress chief took objection.
“Not a single rupee has been waived till date, when would the waiver be implemented? Even 50% of farmers are yet to get Rythu Bandhu for the concluded season,” he said.
Standing face to face, with just a chair between, the leaders pointed fingers at each other and intensified their war of words.
“This is not the Assembly nor the Parliament. This is not debate. You can’t ask me questions here,” the Minister replied, taking on the Congress leader, alleging that the senior leader is violating the decorum of the meeting.
Speaking to press later, the Minister said the Congress is against the minimum support price for farmers and has become a barrier in the development in the State.
Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the TRS government is indulgent in self-praise.
