Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s efforts to woo farmers received a major blow when police in Khammam district produced some farmers in the court in handcuffs.
The farmers, who were arrested in connection with the ransacking of the Chilli Market Yard in protest against the sharp decline in the price earlier this month, were brought this morning from the district jail to the court. The scene evoked strong condemnation from the farmers’ community as well as opposition parties who demanded an apology from the chief minister.
Khammam city police Commissioner Tafseer Iqbal also expressed unhappiness over the incident and ordered a deputy commissioner of police to conduct an inquiry as to why the farmers were handcuffed. “Stringent action will be taken against those responsible for this incident”, he told the media.
The sight of farmers in handcuffs left many people and lawyers angry and dismayed. Telugu Desam MLA Sandra Venkat Veeraiah, who had come to meet the farmers expressed his resentment and demanded the removal of handcuffs immediately.
“What more proof is needed that the KCR government was resorting to anti farmer and repressive policies”, he asked.
Telangana State Congress Committee President Uttam Kumar Reddy strongly condemned the treatment of the farmers and demanded an apology from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. “This is an insult to all farmers. The Chief Minister should tender an apology and suspend the police officials responsible for the incident”, he said.
Meanwhile the district court ordered the release of the ten farmers on bail in two more cases. Earlier last week the court had granted them bail in another case.
