Kurnool: Andhra Pradesh minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy made insensitive statements about farmers and ridiculed farmers who had committed suicides. Participating at farm loan waiver grievance cell meeting here today, he satirically said that when corporate leaders have amassed thousands of crores and are living happily, why were the farmers committing suicides for debts of just Rs one lakh.

Somireddy derided agriculturists saying he was unable to understand why the farmers had to take the extreme step for a small amount. He claimed that TDP government had announced farm loan waiver and said that with Rs 680 crores the loan waiver was extended to the farmers to some extent. The minister pointed out that the government had received nine lakh complaints with regards to loan waivers. They were rectifying errors and all the farmers who were eligible would be given waivers, he observed.

Later Somireddy declared that 37 of 53 mandals in the state were drought-affected mandals. This announcement did not go well with deputy chief minister KE Krishnamurthy. Talking to media, KE demanded that the government declare Kurnool district as drought-affected district. There have been no rains in the region and the district has been ignored by the government. He said the farmers were suffering due to lack of minimum support price. Above all the region was infested with fake seeds, he added.

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