In a ‘tit for tat’ gesture, the BJP-led government at the Centre headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has categorically stated that
it will not procure parboiled rice from Telangana that is usually produced in the state in rabi season.

The Centre’s statement was in response to a three-hour dharna organised by TRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar
Rao at Indira Park in Hyderabad on Thursday (today) demanding Centre to procure parboiled rice from Telangana in rabi season.

Addressing the meeting, KCR fired at BJP and Modi alleging that they were discriminating against Telangana while procuring paddy from
Punjab in rabi season.

KCR even threatened to take agitations on anti-farmer policies and farm laws of Modi government to the national level.

He said if need be he will hold dharnas in support of farmers in Northern States who are agitating for nearly a year against Modi
government’s farm laws.

KCR fixed November 19 deadline for Modi government to respond on his demand on paddy procurement from Telangana in rabi.

However, the Modi government responded on Thursday itself categorically stating that it will not procure parboiled rice from
Telangana in rabi as there is no demand for parboiled rice.

He said few state where there was demand for parboiled rice all these years were supplied rice from Telangana but those states too were
producing parboiled rice on their own.

As such there is no need to procure parboiled rice from Telangana and supply to those states under PDS (public distribution system).