The main opposition party YSR Congress Party is staging dharnas at all mandal headquarters on Wednesday.

Here is a lowdown on what and why of the dharna.

Why is YSRCP protesting?
During the elections, TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu had promised to waive all crop and DWCRA loans. However, the government has done nothing substantial in that direction even after five months and has thus hit the farmers hard. The YSRCP wants the government to quickly waive the loans and save the farm sector. To mount pressure, the YSRCP has launched the agitational programme.

How much has to be waived and how much Chandrababu has promised?

The State Level Bankers’ Committee meeting has announced that the agriculture loans were pegged at Rs 87,612 cores while DWACRA loans amount to Rs 14,000 crores which sum up to Rs 1.1 lakh crores. But Chandrababu just allocated RS 5,000 crores towards loan waiver in the budget. He is claiming that he has cleared 20 % or loans. Now, the farmers were forced to pay `28,000 crore towards penalty for non-payment and interest for this year. On the other hand, the TDP government made an inadequate allocation of Rs 1,338 crores for social security pensions when the required amount is to the tune of Rs 3,650 crores.

What is the nature of YSRCP agitational programme?
The YSRCP planned a three-month protest programme to expose the TDP government. Protests would be held in the first week for three months.
On November 5, dharnas are being organised at all mandal headquarters in the state. On December 5, there would dharnas at all district collectorates.

What is the future protest?
If the government does not respond, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy would sit on two-day hunger strike on January 6 and 7 in either East or West Godavari district.
-Sakshipost