How Paddy Procurement Issue Snowballed Into Political Slugfest Between TRS And BJP | Explained

The ruling TRS and BJP have been at loggerheads due to the procurement of paddy from the Telangana farmers since the last Kharif season when Centre refused to 100% paddy produce from the state

New Delhi: After staging several protests in the state, and a delegation of ministers tried to meet Union ministers to explain the paddy procurement issue concerning the state, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders are continuing with their demonstrations in New Delhi on Monday, demanding a uniform procurement policy for paddy.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is present in the 'dharna' in the capital.

"Telangana govt MPs, MLCs, MLAs & other elected representatives stage a 'dharna' in Delhi against Centre, alleging that "Centre's policy is discriminatory towards Telangana farmers. We demand a uniform procurement policy for paddy," news agency ANI quoted as saying by TRS leaders.

What Is The Paddy Procurement Issue And What Is The State Demanding?

Paddy production in Telangana has seen a massive rise over the past few years, largely due to the state government’s irrigation projects. In the Kharif season last year, the state produced 10.6 million tonnes of paddy.

However, the Centre has said it would not purchase the entire stock. It refused to buy more than 6 million tonnes, which it said is the prescribed limit.

With farmers protesting in front of the procurement centres set up by the state government to sell the paddy, and the produce flooding the grain markets, the Telangana government has been demanding that the Centre procures 100 per cent of the paddy produced in the state.

TRS, BJP At Loggerheads

The ruling TRS and the opposition BJP have been at loggerheads over the issue, which snowballed into a major controversy after the Centre's refusal to buy the entire stock from Telangana.

An agitated KCR staged a 'maha dharna' in Hyderabad in November last year, demanding 'One Nation, One Procurement' policy. He said the BJP leaders in the state should mount pressure on the Centre to procure the entire paddy stock from the state.

"The Centre is procuring 100 per cent paddy from Punjab to appease the agitating farmers there. Why is it not doing it in Telangana? Moreover, the Centre has also refused to buy even a single kg of rice from Telangana during the Rabi season and got a written commitment from us to this effect," Hindustan Times reported, quoting the CM.

Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay On Paddy Procurement   

Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay had initially assured the farmers of initiating necessary steps to make the Centre purchase 100 per cent paddy stock from them, but later took a U-turn saying the Centre would only buy only raw rice and not parboiled rice, which the state produces in Rabi season.

“If the Centre is purchasing parboiled rice from any State in the country then I will make it to purchase the same rice from Telangana or else the State government should give entire paddy as raw rice," Sanjay said in a statement, as report by Telangana Today, in response to the TRS' 'maha dharna'.

TRS Takes Paddy War To Delhi

After not getting anything out of 'maha dharna', a delegation of TRS ministers, along with party MPs, started to visit Delhi to meet Union ministers and convince Delhi to agree to the state's demand.

A delegation managed to meet Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal and a few other Union cabinet ministers, but the issue persisted.

The TRS MPs even staged a walkout from both Parliament on April 5. The TRS members protested in the Lok Sabha, demanding a uniform procurement policy across the country. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla later disallowed the adjournment notice as the MPs staged a walkout. In the Rajya Sabha too, TRS member KR Suresh Reddy demanded a debate on the paddy procurement issue, but the chairman disallowed the plea, and the TRS MPs staged a walkout, as reported in the media.

KCR's Daughter and TRS MLC Kavitha In Delhi

On Sunday, CM KCR's daughter and TRS MLC K Kavitha, along with other TRS leaders, inspected the site chosen for Monday's protest and demanded that the Centre uniformly procures paddy from states.

Demanding that the Centre should pay heed to the demands of Telangana farmers, who have hit the roads, Kavitha asserted that it's imperative to maintain security. "No government has flourished after ruining farmers," she said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

"The party is all set to protect the interest of Telangana farmers in light of indifferent behaviour of the Union Government for paddy procurement," the TRS leader said.