Hyderabad:
Praja Rajyam Party President K Chiranjeevi on Tuesday lashed out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for claiming that Opposition parties and media were "exaggerating" the deaths of distressed farmers in the state.
Also, Chiranjeevi found fault with the Chief Minister's claim that the calamity-hit farmers were happy with the relief package announced by the Congress government.
"He (Kiran) may be happy with the package but not the farmers who suffered heavy losses," the PRP chief said at a press conference here on the eve of his three-day tour of Guntur and Prakasam districts.
The filmstar-turned-politician is undertaking the tour to console families of farmers who either committed suicide or died of shock because of the destruction of crops in the heavy rains early this month.
The PRP leader pointed out that about 57 farmers died between December 9 and 16 before the announcement of relief package.
"Since December 16, when the package was announced by the Chief Minister, more than 130 farmers ended their lives," he said and wondered if they would resort to extreme steps like suicide if they were content with the relief offered by the government.
"Everyone has been demanding that the government extend a relief of at least Rs 10,000 per hectare to the distressed farmers, but the government has remained adamant. The government should follow in the steps of neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra in lending a helping hand to the calamity-hit farmers," Chiranjeevi said.
He did not agree with Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy's contention that the Tamil Nadu government was paying heavy relief to farmers only in view of the Assembly elections due next year.
"Are there elections in Maharashtra?" he questioned and said it was not proper for the revenue minister to make such statements.
Chiranjeevi demanded that the government review the relief package and enhance the compensation besides supplying seed for rabi crops at 100 per cent subsidy. Also, interest-free loans should be extended afresh to enable farmers take up Rabi crop, he said.
The PRP would give an ex-gratia relief of Rs 20,000 per family to the kin of 50 farmers who either committed suicide or died of heart-attack following the recent natural calamities.
Party leader and former IAS officer Thota Chandrasekhar handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to
Chiranjeevi as his contribution for the cause.
To a question, the PRP chief said his fledgling outfit would join hands with any party that worked for the welfare of farmers without seeking political gains.
He also refuted the allegation that the PRP failed in effectively raising the farmers' issue.
"I don't want to be branded as a champion of farmer s. Instead, let us all together make the farmers the real champions," Chiranjeevi said.