Rahul to meet aggrieved farmers

Many farmers’ families of Laxmanchanda and Mamada mandals of tribal Adilabad district of Telangana are eagerly waiting for the visit of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday.

These are among the 900 families who lost their breadwinners in recent months due to the deepening agrarian crisis in Telangana since its inception in June 2014. Delayed monsoon, drought, depleted water resources, failed crops, mounting debts and pressure from private money lenders are some of the major issues that have claimed lives of farmers.

Bonla Linganna, who was conferred with the Adarsh Rytu (Ideal Farmer) tag by the government three years ago, ended his life by hanging to a tree close to his farm. Linganna sold his two and half acre land to repay loans. Then he started cultivating 12 acres of land that he took on lease.

As the crops failed, he saw no way out of the crisis and ended his life. Similar stories can be heard across the belt where farmers are taking their lives unable to pay the loan.

Telangana Congress spokesperson Sravan Dosaj said Rahul’s proposed visit has already made the district administration to shrug its lethargy as it is trying to dole out benefits to these families before Rahul can visit these villages.

He alleged that the Telangana government feigns ignorance about the farmers’ plight and recently submitted a false report to the Centre that only 63 suicides had taken place.

Citing an example of a farmer, Bekari Sampath from Wariguntham village in Medak district, Sravan said small farmers with just two acres took loan of nearly Rs 3 lakh from money lenders at an interest of 30 per cent to dig borewells. After the borewells failed and the crops dried up, he drank pesticide and ended life.