A scene of high tension unfolded recently at the Andhra Ratna Bhavan, the Congress party’s office in Vijayawada. APCC President Y.S. Sharmila initiated a tractor procession aimed at reaching the Legislative Assembly, where she intended to meet Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Her goal was to draw immediate attention to the severe hardships faced by farmers across the state. However, police forces swiftly intervened, stopping her convoy and leading to a heated confrontation outside the party premises.
Sharmila declared unequivocally that she would persist with her protest until she was granted an opportunity to directly communicate the farmers’ grievances to the Chief Minister. As a potent symbol of their suffering, she wore a garland of onions, passionately accusing the government of widespread neglect. She highlighted the tragic reality of farmers being driven to suicide due to a lack of fair and remunerative prices for their produce. “It is deeply shameful,” she asserted, “that Andhra Pradesh ranks third in the nation for farmer suicides.”
Furthermore, Sharmila leveled accusations against Chief Minister Naidu, stating that he had deceived farmers with lofty promises prior to the elections, only to fail in delivering once his government assumed power. She cited numerous examples of farmers growing crops such as chili, maize, tobacco, banana, and cotton, who were assured higher procurement rates but ultimately received prices significantly below the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Elaborating on specific examples of farmer distress, she stated, “Banana farmers were promised ₹30,000 per tonne, yet they received a mere ₹15,000. Maize, despite having an MSP of ₹3,300, struggles to fetch even ₹2,000. Tobacco cultivators expected ₹18,000 but were forced to sell for less than ₹3,000. The despair is so profound that farmers are discarding tomatoes and onions, selling them for as little as ₹2 a kilogram and ₹50 per quintal, respectively.” Sharmila concluded by affirming that the Congress party would remain steadfast in its support for farmers, relentlessly fighting for their rightful justice.