KCR Gives 24-hour Deadline to PM Modi on Paddy Procurement Issue

K Chandrashekar Rao, the Chief Minister of Telangana, warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday against "messing up with the farmers"! Telangana Chief Minister KCR challenged PM Modi on the Centre's paddy procurement policy, threatening to "go after the government" if crops are not "procured uniformly" within the next 24 hours.

The Telangana CM addressed a protest by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and others, saying, "I request that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Piyush Goyal procure crops in a consistent manner across the country, including in Telangana. Please consider purchasing our food grains. We will wait for the next 24 hours before making a decision and proceeding to pursue you."

"I'll return to talk about the presidential elections and other topics. We'll make a decision in the next couple of days, and then we'll make a decision," he added.

Members of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and others are staging a sit-in, or Dharna, to protest the "Centre's policy discriminating against Telangana farmers."

"In this heat, we've travelled 2,000 kilometres from Telangana. You can't mess with farmers, I warn PM Modi. Farmers' cries have always resulted in the government losing power in India. Nobody lasts forever... When you're in power, don't be unfair to farmers," Rao remarked.

KCR also took aim at Piyush Goyal, claiming that the Union Minister reacted "harshly" when the state Agriculture Minister met with him.

"Piyush Goyal, our agriculture minister, reacted angrily when he arrived in Delhi. Goyal instructed him to consume broken rice. I'm not sure what Piyush Goyal understands, but he's Piyush Golmaal," he stated.

In the protest against the Centre, Telangana Chief Minister KCR was joined by farmer leader Rakesh Tikait. KCR greeted him warmly and assured him of his state's backing.

"I want to reassure you, Rakesh Tikait, that the entire state of Telangana is behind you. The way you protested in Delhi was seen by everyone. You also got the Prime Minister to apologize to you "he stated

The Chief Minister, slamming the BJP for its procurement policy, said that if the government does not come up with a new agriculture policy, the people will vote out the government.

"Telangana is asserting its rights. I would encourage the Prime Minister to develop a new agriculture policy, to which we will contribute. If you don't, the public will vote you out and a new agriculture policy will be drafted " he added.