“Weavers' death by suicides are Government killings,” KTR in open letter to CM Revanth

HYDERABAD: In a scathing open letter addressed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) has accused the Government of being responsible for the deaths of weavers who have died of suicide due to lack of employment.

In his letter on Monday, he demanded immediate action and support for the affected families. KTR highlighted the grim reality faced by the weaver community, stating that ten weavers have taken their lives in recent times. He asserted that these were Government-induced deaths due to the administration's neglect and vindictive policies against the initiatives started by the previous BRS Government.

KTR's demanded an ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased weavers. He criticised the current Government's failure to continue the welfare schemes and orders initiated by the previous administration, which resulted in weavers losing their livelihood and faced severe financial distress.

He pointed out that the weaver community in Telangana, which had been thriving during the last decade under the previous Government, was now plunged back into crisis reminiscent of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh era due to the current Government's actions.

KTR recalled his party supremo KCR's contributions to the weaving community, starting from the early days of the Telangana movement. He highlighted KCR's efforts, from collecting donations from the public to establishing a Rs 50 lakh welfare fund for weavers in Bhudan Pochampally and Sircilla.

KTR criticised the Congress government for halting beneficial schemes for weavers, leading to widespread unemployment and poverty within the community. He recalled the extensive measures taken by the previous BRS government to support the weavers, such as increasing budget allocations, assisting in modernising looms, waiving weaver loans, and providing market linkages. “These efforts had rejuvenated the weaving industry, brought financial stability, and halted suicides,” he said.

He urgeed the Government to immediately resume and implement the welfare schemes and support programs previously in place, including the ‘Bathukamma saree’ scheme, power loom subsidies, and orders for school uniforms and festival gifts to boost the weavers' employment. KTR concluded by warning that the BRS would continue to fight for the rights and welfare of the weaver community until the Government addressed their issues and provided the necessary support.

Weavers who died by suicide:

* Guggilla Naresh from Khammam (January 20)

* Penti Venkanna from Khammam (March 17)

* Tadaka Srinivas from Sircilla (March 13)

* Siripuram Lakshminarayana from Sircilla (April 7)

* Eega Raju from Sircilla (April 25)

* Adicherla Sai from Sircilla (April 26)

* Ankarapu Mallesham from Sircilla (April 26)

* Chintoju Ramesh from Sircilla (May 23)

* Kudikyala Nagaraju from Sircilla (June 22)

* Venkatesham from Karimnagar (June 16)