NIZAMABAD: Not all the 50-odd Nizamabad turmeric farmers could file their nomination papers for Varanasi LS seat on Monday from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking re-election to the lower house.According to information reaching here, about 25 farmers including a few of six Tamil Nadu, could file their nomination papers.
The farmers contemplated en masse filing of nomination papers to make the Prime Minister to sit upright and take not of the problems they had been facing, in the absence of minimum support price for their produce and he reluctance of the centre in setting up turmeric board. The farmers allege that all of them could not file nomination papers because of the unhelpful attitude of the polling staff and the intimidation by the intelligence officials and local BJP leaders.
The farmers — all of them — in a huff, staged a demonstration on the road outside the collector’s office.
Telangana State Turmeric Farmers Association President K Narasimha Naidu said: “After crossing several hurdles, about 25 of us could file nominations in Varanasi, on Monday, the last day for filing nominations. All 50 of us wanted to file nomination papers but the staff there tried to discourage us by heckling at us, taking a long time to deal with us.” The farmers are supporters of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).
According to Naidu, 50 farmers including four from TN reached Varanasi on April 26. “From the day we arrived, the intelligence department have tried their best to prevent us from filing nomination papers,” he added. He stated that 35 farmers were ready with nomination papers but were unable to pay the fee because they could not get challan forms.
“Finally, only 25 farmers could file the papers,” Naidu said. “First, there were attempts to prevent us from filing the papers. Then officials questioned our antecedents. The delay appeared deliberate to prevent all of us from filing the papers.”
Fluorosis problem
Though six more farmers from Nalgonda dt also went to Varanasi, they decided to make way for the two from Prakasam dt when it appeared only a few could file nomination papers. The en masse filing is being held to draw Prime Minister Modi’s to the problem of fluorosis.