Tadepalli, Nov 22: YSRCP President and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy strongly condemned N. Chandrababu Naidu for presiding over a historic collapse in crop prices while refusing to even look in the direction of the farmers. Taking to X platform, he said that under Naidu’s negligent rule, farmers, crushed by the steep fall in paddy, maize, banana, coconut, cotton, pulses, millets, chilli, tobacco, onion, tomato, cocoa, sugarcane, mango and several other crops, are being pushed to such distress that they are now forced to plough back their own grown produce due to the lack of government support. Instead of acknowledging the crisis he created, Naidu is trying to divert attention through publicity gimmicks like “Raitanna… Meekosam,” while attempting to make farmers believe they are responsible for their own suffering.
YS Jagan questioned how Naidu can spend crores on three chartered flights, six helicopters, foreign tours, weekend trips to Hyderabad, political vendetta cases, expensive lawyers, paid propaganda and his yellow media network, yet refuses to release even minimal funds to rescue farmers. He mocked the government’s self-promotion about a teleconference with 10,000 people, asking why the Chief Minister cannot simply call 10 collectors and direct them to allocate funds to ensure fair prices. Despite prices crashing repeatedly in the past 18 months, the government has not sanctioned a single rupee for price stabilization.
He reminded that Andhra Pradesh suffered nearly 16 natural calamities during this period, yet not once did Naidu provide input subsidy, announce compensation, or personally respond to farmers’ misery. Instead of supporting those protesting for justice or leaders visiting them, the government filed false cases to silence them. He said announcements are made loudly but in reality nothing is implemented, as seen repeatedly with chilli, tobacco, mango and onion farmers.
YS Jagan accused Naidu of deliberately dismantling every security mechanism built during the YSRCP government, free crop insurance, RBKs, e-Crop, CMAPP, doorstep procurement, thereby removing the safety, assurance and guarantees earlier given to farmers. Free crop insurance was scrapped, and the government has no answer for lakhs of farmers affected by cyclones and natural disasters who fall outside insurance coverage, nor has it announced when compensation will be provided. The government still owes Rs. 600 crore in pending input subsidy and has not clarified when farmers affected by the most recent storm will receive relief. Naidu promised Rs. 20,000 per year under Annadata Sukhibhava apart from PM-Kisan, but in two years has given only Rs. 10,000 out of the assured Rs. 40,000. The situation has deteriorated so badly that farmers are now forced to buy fertilizers in the black market and depend on middlemen for survival.
YS Jagan warned that farmers will no longer tolerate deception, diversion tactics and cruel neglect. He said those pushed onto the streets by Naidu’s failed governance are now prepared to hold him, and his party, directly accountable for betrayal, injustice and the destruction of their livelihoods.
*Farmers in dire straits*
