Farmers’ Association, trade unions to stage protest on Nov 6

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Farmers Association co-ordination committee convener and former minister Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao said the association along with the trade unions will stage a protest in Vijayawada on November 6 at Lenin centre denouncing the cases registered against the NewClick news portal management and journalists by Delhi police and privatisation of Vizag steel plant.

He addressed the Andhra Pradesh Farmers Association co-ordination committee meeting at Press Club here on Tuesday. Later, speaking to media, Sobhanadreeswara Rao said it is shameful that the BJP government filed a case alleging that the NewsClick management has received funds from foreign countries and it funded the farmers’ agitation in Delhi.

He has demanded the Central government to tender apology to the journalists, farmers and the management of the NewClick news portal immediately. The agitation launched by the employees of the Vizag steel plant and civil society organisations reached 1,000 days, he said and demanded the Central government to withdraw Power Bill 2020 stating that the bill is detrimental to the interest of farmers.

Referring to nationwide protests’ call given by Samyuktha Kisan Morcha on November 27 and 28 opposing the Central government policies on the farmers and workers, he said agitation will be conducted for two days across the country. Sobhanadreeswara Rao along with the farmers leaders and trade union leaders released a poster on the agitation.

He said dry spell conditions prevailed in 323 mandals of Andhra Pradesh and there is no water for 30 lakh acre. He said the crops are withering due to lack of rains in October and farmers are not able to get irrigation water. He demanded the state government to take measures to supply water to the crops.

AITUC state general secretary G Obulesu condemned the inaction of the BJP government on the prolonged agitation of Vizag steel plant employees opposing privatisation. During the nine-and-a-half years of BJP rule, jobs were not created in the country, instead livelihood opportunities were decreasing, he criticised.

Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham leaders Y Kesava Rao, K V V Prasad, AP Tenant Farmers Association state general secretary P Jamalayya, Prakasam district farmers leader Chunduru Rangarao, AITUC state president R Ravindranath and other leaders spoke on the occasion.