Rahul quip brings ₹20L relief for chilli farmers
HYDERABAD: A casual suggestion made by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to former MP V Hanumantha Rao during a public meeting in Telangana has rained a ₹20-lakh bonanza on red chilli farmers from Khammam and Warangal.
Chilli farmers from the two districts have been suffering losses due to lack of remunerative prices for their produce, a factor that spurred protests among farmers across MP and Maharashtra earlier this month.
The ₹20-lakh relief was offered by former Sangareddy MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy alias Jagga Reddy, who auctioned his golden bracelet on Friday. Interestingly, the ornament was gifted to Reddy by Hanumantha Rao on Gandhi’s suggestion.
The bracelet, which weighs five tolas, was bagged by Patancheru realtor T Mahender Reddy. The actual cost of the ornament is ₹1.5 lakh.
Gandhi, who was impressed by the crowd turnout at the Sangareddy meeting on June 1, complimented Reddy for turning the event into such a grand success. Then he asked Rao – who was seated beside him – how Reddy could be rewarded for this. The former MP responded by saying that he had nothing but his gold bracelet to give away.
“In that case, why don’t you give it to Reddy as a token of appreciation?” Gandhi quipped.
Rao called a press meet the following day and gifted his bracelet to Reddy. “I am the most loyal Congressman and a trusted lieutenant of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. So, when Rahul asked me to gift my bracelet to Reddy, I couldn’t say no,” he said.
Instead of keeping the gift, the former MLA chose to auction it at the Hyderabad Press Club on Friday.