Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y. S. Sharmila has called on the ruling coalition partners in the state to speak up for farmers in Parliament. She specifically urged the MPs of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to raise the issues faced by farmers, including aqua, tobacco, mango, tomato, onion, and others. Sharmila emphasized the importance of addressing the challenges farmers are encountering and suggested that MPs should even consider staging a walkout if needed to push for farmers’ welfare.
Sharmila expressed her concern that if the government does not act promptly, the Congress Party will escalate its protest alongside farmers across the state. She highlighted the distressing situation of farmers in Andhra Pradesh, noting the absence of adequate support for the farming community under the current coalition government. Sharmila stressed the critical need for guaranteed prices and fair treatment for farmers, pointing out the widespread crisis affecting various sectors like tomato, mango, tobacco, and aqua farming in the state.
The APCC chief criticized both the Central and state governments for failing to address the challenges faced by farmers, particularly in times of distress. She condemned the lack of action while farmers were burdened with debts and resorting to extreme measures like suicide. Sharmila demanded that the issues concerning aqua farmers, including the impact of rising shrimp feed prices and the need for financial support, be deliberated in Parliament. Additionally, she called for efforts to eliminate tariffs on aqua products and to secure a substantial corpus fund for aqua farmers.
