My Resolve To Bring A Smile To Faces Of The Poor Got Strengthened Today

Vuderu Cross: Praja Sankalpa Yatra crossed the milestone of 250 days today and entered its ninth month. During the course of this period, millions of people showered their love and affection upon me. Others expressed their anguish about the current government in the state, while thousands of others came to me with their problems. People in large numbers marched alongside, shoulder to shoulder, as an expression of their solidarity.

Nothing held them back, as they walked with me showing their spirit and enthusiasm, not scorching sun, not even pouring rain or a constant drizzle. Their spirits remained undampened, their affection, unbounded. I will remain forever indebted to them. My resolve to bring a smile to the faces of the poor and needy, deprived and neglected, got strengthened even more and I must say that Praja Sankalpa Yatra, contributed in significant measure to this.

My Padayatra passed through Marturi Cross, Bavulawada Cross, Trimurtula Nagar and Darjinagar of Anakapalle constituency. The name of this constituency and town itself conjures an image of jaggery. It is the second largest market in the country. But the farmers here do not get a profitable price for their produce and are victims of a syndicate of middlemen. They are bound by unreasonable regulations and therefore, in these circumstances, many farmers have been forced to give up their traditional occupation of farming and have taken to migration in quest of other jobs. Driven by desperation, many of them have turned into construction labourers. The plight of farmers of Jamadulapalem bears testimony to this. Farmers fear that the glory of Anakapalle as a renowned centre of jaggery would slip into history. Koyyalavada Paidiraju lamented that he felt cheated and betrayed by Chandrababu Naidu’s promises. He, like other farmers had taken a crop loan of Rs. 70,000, believing Chandrababu’s election promise of loan waiver. It turned out in the end that the promised loan waiver was an act of deception. With interest added to it, his loan amount grew to 1.48 lakh rupees. He has been receiving bank notices threatening to see seize his land for non-payment of the loan. Paidiraju can neither pay the crop loan nor can he let go of his precious land. What will be his faith and that of lakhs of farmers across the state like him?

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I read in the papers about the suicides of a couple—Ramaiah and Vandramma, and was profoundly saddened by what I read. Their only sin was that they like other farmers, took Chandrababu at his word, when it came to the election promise of loan waiver. In the past, we have seen farmers commit suicide because of extreme drought conditions or heavy unseasonal rain which ruined their crops. We have seen farmers resorting to extreme measures because their produce did not give them a reasonable price which would help them sustain their means of livelihood. However, if farmers have in the past, committed suicide on account of the insensitivity and indifference of the rulers, and are doing so now, it is only under Chandrababu Naidu's rule. This time around it is his promise of loan waivers which is driving farmers to suicide because of its non-implementation. It is crystal clear that such betrayal and non-fulfilment of election promises happens only under Chandrababu.

During the course of my Padayatra, workers of Tummapala Sugar Factory gave me five appeals and petitions. About 300 workers were not being paid their salaries for 48 months. 39 among them died of various reasons during these difficult years that the factory remained shut and 154 retired employees have not received any retirement benefits. About 13,000 families of farmers dependent on this factory, find themselves in a helpless situation today. It is painful to know that the closure of one factory has led to the widespread misery of so many families.

I have a question for the chief minister—lakhs of people find themselves in dire straits because of your policy of driving cooperative factories and dairies to their closure. Millions of families say that you alone are responsible for their miserable plight. What answer do you have for them? Farmers are reeling under debts because of your non-fulfilment of the promised loan waiver. What happened to the promised loan waiver? Is it not an act of betrayal and deception by you?