Farmers Movement Archive

Eatala bats for ryots’ stir again

Hyderabad: Health minister Eatala Rajender upped the ante again in support of farmers’ agitation, making no bones about his displeasure for the new farm laws introduced by the Centre. Taking part in a meeting of BC employees’ union here on Friday, the minister said there is a greater need to support the agitation of farmers in Delhi against the agri laws. “The main reason for poverty in this country is due to centralisation of country’s wealth. Concentrated wealth leads to poverty. If a top industrialist’s wealth is getting multi-fold year on year, it would not help resolve the problems of common man and remove poverty in the country,” he said. The minister said if people do not respond to farmers’ agitation, it would hit them hard in some time soon. Claiming that he was not talking any politics here, the minister said he was only referring to the problems of farmers. He also faulted the policies of the Centre, especially corporatisation and disinvestment of PSUs. “Why is the Centre privatising LIC?” he wondered. “We should not burn our house to smoke out a rat,” he said, referring to privatisation of PSUs which are making profits. He said for ruling or leading a government, merit is necessary. “Similarly, for getting a medical seat, we look at merit.” He said sadly the same spirit is not reflected in some sectors, which is leading to inequality in the society. Rajender on several occasions has made comments on various issues concerning society in recent times and had even taken a dig at the TRS party leadership. Last week, TRS working president KT Rama Rao held a one-to-one meeting with Rajender over his comments at a meeting in his constituency. Rajender, during the inauguration of a Rythu Vedika at Veenavanka in Karimnagar district 10 days ago, said not money, caste or party are important and that only good deeds and humanism are important to him.

The Times of India

2021-04-03

Hyderabad