Congress MPs from Telangana have alleged that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has taken to opposing the three controversial farmers’ Bills after sensing large-scale opposition to the new legislation among the farming community across the country, including Telangana.
Speaking outside Parliament in New Delhi on Monday, while participating in the protest against suspension of eight Rajya Sabha MPs on the issue, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy (Nalgonda) and A. Revanth Reddy (Malkajgiri) pointed out that the TRS MPs did not even seek an opportunity to speak against the Bill in the Lok Sabha although the party president had issued a statement directing the MPs to oppose the Bill.
The TRS MPs silence on the Bll in Lok Sabha was part of the party’s tacit understanding with the BJP and the statement by party president and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was meant only to play to the gallery. However, after sensing the ground-swell of opposition against the draconian Blls, which they said would take away lands from small and marginal farmers for corporate farming, and after the resignation of Union Minister for Food Processing from Shiromani Akali Dal, an ally of NDA Government led-by BJP at the Centre, the TRS had decided to oppose it vocally, the Congress MPs said.
However, their lack of sincerity on the issue was exposed again during the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman’s election when the party did not vote against the NDA candidate. Although the Congress party would welcome any party that would oppose the draconian Bills against the farmers’ interests, they suspect the intent of TRS, the Congress MPs said.
