Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao asked farmers to ensure a farmers government in their state, and called for emulating the Telangana model of governance.
Abki baar kisan sarkar, said Rao, addressing his BRS party’s third public rally in Maharashtra. He asked farmers to elect BRS in zilla parishad elections. We want to have the Telangana model of administration in Maharashtra, he added.
Farmers are ending their lives, he said. It is unfortunate that farmers had to agitate in the national capital for 13 months, after which PM Modi apologized to them and gave an assurance, but nothing has happened, Rao said.
We need out of box thinking to change India. Nothing will happen by changing ruling parties. We have to bring change on our own. That is why we have BRS. The BRS is not for any class or religion but for all people, he said, adding the party was building a permanent office in Maharashtra.
A country like Zimbabwe has made a reservoir of 6,500 TMC (thousand million cubic feet). We need three to four such reservoirs. But our country has not learnt the importance of water. More than double the amount of water needed is available, yet there is water scarcity. Rulers, PM, CMs lack the will, Rao asserted.
Several major rivers originate in Maharashtra but the state has cities that get water supply once in a week, Rao said, adding people were distressed due to lack of will power on the part of the authorities to tackle this problem.
This scarcity will continue till there is new structure and a new Act on water distribution. The water the rich drink in posh Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills in Hyderabad is the same water the poor in Adilabad drink, he added.
If people in Telangana can get electricity round the clock, why not the people of Maharashtra. Here, electricity distribution is being privatised. Once we are in power, we will get back everything that has been privatised, he claimed.
He also questioned why Maharashtra does not have an insurance scheme for farmers on the lines of Telangana, where Rs 5 lakh is given to the legal heir if a farmer dies. Rao asked farmers to become MLAs and MPs, instead of just being used by leaders.
A question that trouble me is whether India is becoming aimless. Are there any goals set for the country? he asked. Responding to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ remarks against his visit, Rao said he must implement the Telangana model for farmers to provide them relief.
After my rally in Nanded, funds were allocated by the Maharashtra government for farmers. Implement the Telangana model, and I will go to Madhya Pradesh and not come here, Rao said.