It was political 'Chandra' grahanam

YSR Congress Party
President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister Sharmila lambasted TDP president
Chandrababu Naidu today describing his regime as Chandra Grahanam period as he
did nothing to come to the rescue of farmers and handloom workers.

Addressing an impromptu
meeting of women and handloom weavers at Syndicate Nagar Colony in Anantapuram
district on the 13^th day of Maro Praja Prasthanam Padayatra on
Tuesday, Sharmila charged Naidu with abdicating his responsibility of taking
care of the families of those farmers and handloom weavers who committed
suicide due to utter poverty.

YSR sanctioned an
ex-gratia of Rs.1 lakh each to the 4000 farmers and Rs.1.5 lakh each to the
hundreds of handloom workers who committed suicide during the regime of Naidu. “That
was the commitment of YSR towards farmers and handloom weavers,” she said.

YSR was the first chief
minister who decided to grant pension to all handloom workers who crossed the
age of 50, she said. YSR also wanted to waive handloom loans to the tune of Rs.
312 Cr in 2009 but unfortunately he died during the same year and the
Government has not yet decided to implement the waiver of handloom loans, she
lamented.

Sharmila said that
Jagan also has such high respect for handloom weavers and once he becomes the
CM, he would implement his promises. “If YSRCP comes into power and Jagan
becomes the CM, all handloom workers and weavers will get interest free loans
and ensure that their products are sold in Government hospitals and schools,”
Sharmila promised.

“Our party will take all
steps to ensure that demand for handloom products will increase,” she assured.

Sharmila has also
promised that the Abhaya Hastam scheme, once introduced by YSR for providing
pension for the aged women and abandoned by the present Government, will be
reintroduced once Jagan becomes the CM.

 (Updated on Oct 30, 2012)