The protests by the sugarcane farmers against the management of NCS Sugar Factory at Latchayyapet in Vizianagaram district, leading to attacks on the police forces, has caused a lot of embarrassment to the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
The farmers have been agitating for a long time demanding release of their dues to the extent of Rs 16.33 crore from the sugar factory management.
On November 2, the farmers blocked the highway and staged protests.
The police tried to disperse the crowds using force, but the farmers revolted against them, by pelting stones at the cops and attacking them with sticks.
With the situation turning out to be a big issue creating troubles for the government, chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy deputed his party’s senior leader and municipal administration minister Botsa Satyanarayana to the district on Friday to resolve the issue.
He tried to pacify the agitating farmers saying the government would fully understand their anguish and revolt against the sugar factory management, which has been evading payments for the last six years.
He reminded that the Jagan government had cleared their dues to the extent of Rs 27 crore.
“We have seized sugar bags worth Rs 10 crore from the factory. We shall work out a plan as to how to clear their dues. If necessary, we shall dispose of 24 acres of land of the sugar factory and clear the dues,” he said.
Botsa, however, warned the farmers not to take law into their hands by getting provoked by the opposition parties.
“Our is a farmer-friendly government and we shall resolve all the issues. The police maintained restraint so far. But if you continue to resort to violence, they will have to act as per the law,” he warned.
The TDP, however, alleged that the Jagan government was intimidating the agitating farmers.
Telugu Rythu State President M. Srinivasa Reddy on Friday expressed concern that the government was trying to brand the farmers of NCS Sugar Factory as 'offenders' instead of solving their problems.
He condemned the government's conspiracy to use the police to put the agitating farmers in jail by filing false cases.
The police were trying to level false charges that the farmers hurled stones on the police force during their protests.