KTR blames state govt for weaver suicides

HYDERABAD: Claiming that as many as 10 weavers died by suicide due to lack of employment in the recent past, BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Monday held the state government responsible for the deaths.

In an open letter to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the BRS leader demanded that the government immediately initiate appropriate measures and provide assistance to the affected families.

“These are not mere suicides but government-induced deaths due to the administration’s neglect and vindictive policies against the initiatives started by the previous government,” Rama Rao alleged.

He wanted the government to pay an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh each to families of the deceased weavers. The present government’s failure to continue the welfare schemes initiated by the previous administration has resulted in weavers losing their livelihood and facing severe financial distress, the BRS working president said.

He also listed the names of weavers who allegedly died by suicides. Guggilla Naresh of Khammam (January 20), Penti Venkanna of Khammam (March 17), Tadaka Srinivas of Sircilla (March 13), Siripuram Lakshminarayana of Sircilla (April 7), Eega Raju of Sircilla (April 25), Adicherla Sai of Sircilla (April 26), Ankarapu Mallesham of Sircilla (April 26), Chintoju Ramesh of Sircilla (May 23), Kudikyala Nagaraju of Sircilla (June 22) and Venkatesham of Karimnagar (June 16) have were died by suicides, he mentioned in his letter.