‘Farmers can change government’: Telangana CM KCR hits out at Centre in Chandigarh

New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday (May 22) said in Chandigarh that the farmers can change the government if they want, urging them to continue the agitation till they get the right price for their produce. "If farmers want, they can change government. It is not a big thing. From where the power comes, it comes from us. Agitation should continue till farmers get the right price and there is a constitutional guarantee for it," PTI quoted KCR as saying. 

The Telangana CM, who is on a national tour, also paid tributes to the farmers who lost their lives during the year-long agitation against the Centre's now-repealed farm laws. "Punjab is a great state," said Rao, hailing the state's contribution to the freedom struggle and for green revolution in the farming sector.

KCR, who was also accompanied by his Delhi and Punjab counterparts-- Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, also hit out at the Centre on the issue of imposing electricity bills on farmers, who were getting free power. "Before Telangana became a state, a lot of farmer issues persisted. Farmers were dying by suicide. We are improving, giving farmers free electricity. Centre asking us to impose electricity bills, put meters. We would die but not install meters," ANI quoted him as saying. 

Praising the AAP supremo, the Telangana CM said Kejriwal was "lucky" to have got a chance to serve them (farmers)."Delhi CM Kejriwal is lucky that he got a chance to serve farmers as they sat on Delhi`s borders. We too would always support our farmer brothers and sisters. We cannot bring back those who have died but we are with you in this pain," he added. 

Chief Minister Sri K. Chandrashekar Rao consoled and handed over the cheques to bereaved families of farmers and Galwan martyrs in Chandigarh today. Delhi CM Sri @ArvindKejriwal and Punjab CM Sri @BhagwantMann were present. pic.twitter.com/fBWIamXIu9 — Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) May 22, 2022

Rao was in Chandigarh to distribute a Rs 3 lakh cheque as financial assistance to each family of the farmers who died during the year-long farmers’ protest against the Centre's three agricultural laws. More than 700 farmers had died during year-long agitation at the Delhi borders owing to various reasons like harsh winter, road accidents, cardiac arrest and ailments.

(With agency inputs)