6,121 farmers ended their life during BRS rule, says Minister Sridhar Babu

Minister accuses BRS of exploiting farmers for political gain, revealing grim suicide statistics and misappropriation of funds.

Minister for IT and Industries Duddilla Sridhar Babu accused Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of exploiting farmers for political gain during its decade-long rule. Highlighting grim statistics, he revealed that 6,121 farmers in the State had ended their life between 2014 and 2022, citing data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) presented in Parliament.

In a statement released here on Tuesday, the Minister accused the BRS of abandoning families of farmers who had committed suicide, leaving them to suffer without adequate support. He called on the party’s leaders to stop misleading the public with false narratives and to engage directly with the people to understand their challenges.

The Minister alleged that the BRS had misappropriated ₹25,672 crore under the Rythu Bandhu scheme by extending benefits to ineligible individuals, including non-agricultural lands, stone quarries, and real estate layouts. He questioned the moral stance of the BRS, which he claimed had failed to address the plight of farmers, particularly tenant farmers, who faced insurmountable challenges during its tenure.

Mr. Sridhar Babu contrasted the current government’s efforts with those of the BRS, emphasizing that ₹21,000 crore in farm loans had been waived despite inheriting a financially strained State. He criticized the BRS for opposing the Rythu Bharosa scheme, which he claimed was a genuine attempt to uplift farmers and alleviate their financial burdens.