Hyderabad: The mammoth sari distribution programme in Telangana as part of the Bathukamma festival celebration was marred by stray incidents of protest as women unhappy over the low quality of saris either refused to accept them or burnt them.

Incidents of protests were reported from many places in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Mahabubabad districts.

In Jagtial a group of women burnt the saris and danced around it. Some of the women were disappointed that instead of promised Sricilla handloom saris they were given low-quality saris from Gujarat.

“We had to forgo a day’s wages for a Rs50 sari”, lamented an agriculture labourer in the Chelgal village of Jagtiyal.

In Mahabubabad women refused to accept the saris. In Adilabad tribal women said that they were given ordinary saris, which were not suitable for their style of dressing.

At some places women complained that saris measured only six yards instead of nine yards.

“Will CM’s daughter Kavita wear these saris?” asked one of the protesters.

In Saidabad area of Hyderabad two groups of women clashed and beat each other up on who should get the saris first. The trouble was sparked off over rumours that the stock of saris was very small compared to the demand.

The uproar seemed to suggest that the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s idea of gifting the saris on the occasion of a major festival to more than 14 million women had backfired.

However, the Minister for municipal administration and son of the Chief Minister K Taraka Rama Rao attributed the incident to “opposition’s conspiracy”.

“These incidents were orchestrated particularly in the constituencies of the opposition MLAs. Very few such incidents have taken places and the programme was largely smooth,” KTR said

Pointing out that the saris were a gift from the Chief Minister, he said no woman would burn a gift from her brother on an auspicious occasion like Bathukamma. “If they don’t like it they can keep it aside or give it to others. Why will they burn it”, he asked.

“Hardly four or five such incidents have occurred while the saris were distributed at 10,000 centres”, he said.

He said that not all the saris could be sourced from the handloom weavers of Sricilla due to time shortage but said that next year the preparations would start early and only handloom saris would be distributed.

Director of handloom textile Shailaja Ramaiyyer said that only good-quality saris were chosen and they cost Rs200 a piece, not Rs50 as being alleged.

On the first day 2 million saris were distributed, she said, adding that the process will be completed over the next two days.