Hyderabad: Congress Workers Allegedly Manhandle Women Journalists Covering Farmer Loan Waiver in Mahbubnagar
Hyderabad two women journalists, Sarita Avulu and Vijaya Reddy, were reportedly manhandled by Congress workers in Kondareddypalle, Mahbubnagar district, while documenting the challenges faced by farmers awaiting relief under the loan waiver scheme. The journalists alleged that their cameras were damaged, their phones seized, and they were pushed into the mud by the Congress workers.
In a tweet about the incident, Sarita Avulu called on Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to acknowledge the troubling situation in Telangana and urged the Press Council of India to address the attack on women journalists.
The Telangana government had recently launched the final phase of the loan waiver scheme, aimed at addressing outstanding amounts between Rs 1.5 lakh and 2 lakh. This initiative follows the disbursement of Rs 5,644 crore to 4,46,832 farmers at a public meeting in Wyra on August 15. Despite the rollout, protests have emerged, with BRS leaders accusing the Congress government of failing to fully implement the waiver.
Congress, which has allocated Rs 31,000 crore to waive loans for 32.5 lakh farmers, has spent Rs 17,934 crore to date, benefiting 22,37,848 farmers. The delays in processing some waivers are attributed to issues with Aadhar cards, passbook details, loan accounts, and discrepancies in banker-provided information.
