DEMANDING repeal of three farm laws, and withdrawal of proposed 2003 Electricity (Amendment) Bill, the Telangana Rythu Sangham (Farmers Association) is organising a bus jatha in Telangana from January 1st to February 1, 2021. From November 26th, lakhs of farmers and people are agitating in Delhi demanding the repeal of farm laws. In support of farmers agitation, the Telangana Rythu Sangham,  to educate farmers and people and to explain the dangers of the farm laws, has started the bus jatha.

In the inaugural meeting of bus jatha at Sangareddy, T Sagar, general secretary of Telangana Rythu Sangham, Julakanti Rangareddy, ex-MLA, Chukka Ramulu, state CITU president and others participated. An amount of three lakh rupees financial assistance was given from the working class for the success of jatha. The inaugural programme happened with lot of enthusiasm. One lakh leaflets, 25 thousand booklets were used in the campaign. Covering villages and towns, the campaign is conducted every day, in seven to eight villages. Meals are being provided to those participating in the jatha. Local farmer leaders, along with other political party leaders are speaking in the meetings. Already the jatha covered nine districts and 120 villages. People who are coming to participate in the meetings and protests are expressing resentment towards central government. Locally also, tractor rallies, motor cycle rallies are being conducted in support of the jatha.

In Hyderabad, on December 30, a big public meeting took place with large number of farmers.

The farmers not able to get MSP for their products and are getting indebted and in the process are losing land. The farmers in Telangana are worried that this will also happen to them also.  Already the MSP is not being implemented in the markets. Even though market committee security is there, MSP is not being obtained and the farmers are incurring a loss. In the past Contract Act was brought. Since the Act was not properly implemented the seed breeding farmers became bankrupt. But the seed companies profited. With the amendment of the Essential Commodities Act, the daily used commodities prices rose 50 to 100 per cent. In these three months of implementation of farm laws, only the farmers are facing loss. After purchasing the products from farmers, the middlemen processing units and corporates are making huge profit worth thousands of crore rupees. The exploitation of farmers from corporates is directly visible.

If the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill is implemented, the free electricity being given to farmers, cross-subsidy given to poor, subsidies being given to DISCOMS by state governments will be abolished. For example, in Telangana, out of 1.6 crore connections, approximately 80 lakhs connections are getting concession. After losing the subsidy the consumers will be distanced from using electricity. So, the 2003 Electricity (Amendment) Bill should not be introduced in the parliament, so the farmers' unions are demanding and agitating.

In bus jatha this aspect is also included and is being campaigned. The bus jatha will cover all 31 districts up to February 1, and will end in Hyderabad with a big demonstration. On January 26, farmers parade will take place in every district and Hyderabad. There is no doubt that the bus jatha will enthuse all these aspects.