Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 46: Is This “Cooperation” For Your Home District, Mr. Chandrababu? 

Vasantapuram, Chittoor District:

My camp site today was a beehive of activity what with people swarming in huge numbers--those from Anantapur to see me off with a warm adieu and those from Chittoor to welcome me with equal warmth. Amid warm shaking of hands, I entered Chittoor, the abode of Lord Venkateswara--the redeemer of Kaliyuga. Vedic pundits offered a traditional Poorna Kumbham welcome.

A few paces into my padayatra, farmers’ association leader Adikesavula Reddy met me. He told me that both agriculture and dairy sectors were in an extremely bad shape in Chittoor, not because of unkind weather or unfavorable conditions, but due to Chandrababu Naidu and his lopsided policies. He told me how Chandrababu Naidu is hitting the farm sector where it hurts the most. There are two cooperative sugar mills in Chittoor and Gajula Mandyam--both managed by farmers themselves. They were run well for over four decades. As a chief minister, Chandrababu pushed them into losses and put them on sale. Then, my father became the chief minister and he immediately pumped grants to the tune of Rs 51 crore to revive the sugar cooperatives in 2004. Now, Chandrababu is back in the saddle and the devious game of eating into its vitals has been revived. The factory slid into losses and suffered a lockdown. Attempts are afoot for their sellout. The irony is that while four privately-run sugar factories are earning profits, the cooperative sugar factories are being put on sale. What’s the deal behind this? It is clear that the units are closed citing losses only to be sold to his henchmen at throwaway prices.

To benefit his Heritage Dairy, Chandrababu had forced the closure of Vijaya Dairy much in the same way. While neighboring Karnataka and Telangana are giving an incentive of Rs 4 to Rs 6 per litre to help the paddy farmers, the government here is breaking the back of the diary farmer. The same fate awaits the mango farmers. Cartel formation by private mango pulp industries ensures that the farmer suffers heavy losses. I am told that the government is tacitly backing the cartel. The AP Oilfed industry in Piler too has been shut. It is clear as daylight that Chandrababu has wrought ruination on the hapless farmers to benefit himself.

Finally, here is a poser for the Chief Minister!! Why is that the government and cooperative-run units are sliding into losses only when you are at the helm of affairs? Why are they facing closure? Are your systematic attempts to snuff the life out of them to benefit your proxies not responsible for this sorry state of affairs? Is it justifiable to break the back of the ordinary farmer for your own benefit?