Lokesh slams YCP for dividing farmers along caste lines

Former Minister Nara Lokesh has made a whirlwind visit to the flood-hit areas and enquired about crop losses from the farmers in East Godavari district. He stepped into the knee-deep flood waters in the agricultural fields at several places and asked the farmers about the extent of crop damages. The farmers poured out their woes on account of loss of their crops even as there was no enumeration being taken up by the Government till now.

The TDP former Minister visited damaged crops spread over different villages in Jaggampeta, Prathipadu, Pithapuram and Anaparthy assembly constituencies. He also visited the submerged houses in the flood waters. Former Home Minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, Jyothula Navin, Pavani, Varupala Raja and others during his visit to Gollaprolu and Pithapuram mandals.

Mr. Lokesh accused the Jagan Reddy regime of deliberately dividing farmers along caste and religious lines for the sake of deriving political mileage. Benefits were not being given to the deserving farmers under Rythu Bharosa. Discrimination was being shown to the poor and tenant farmers in the schemes. The Government failed to take preventive and advance mitigation measures even though prior information was available on the flood situation. The flood victims and the evacuees were not getting proper relief and essential supplies. The AP Government has responded only when the Prime Minister made a telephone call to enquire about damages in the floods and heavy rains.

Mr. Lokesh deplored that Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy was travelling in helicopters in the name of aerial visits without making field visits to console and rescue the farmers. The CM was not bothered to ensure proper relief and compensation when the farmers were facing misery in the repeated floods and heavy rains. Instead of taking up relief measures, the YCP Ministers were using all their energy to criticize and attack the TDP. They were speaking as if the TDP leaders had no right to visit the flood-hit areas. Agriculture Minister Kanna Babu was nowhere to be seen even though crops were submerged and damaged all over the State causing severe losses to the farmers. Compensation has not reached the farmers who lost their crops in the last season’s floods till now.