10 Telangana weavers died by suicide since January, Congress govt to blame: KTR

Rao, known as KTR, appealed to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to provide Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased as ex gratia payment.

Criticising what he called the state government’s failure to continue the welfare schemes and other initiatives of the previous BRS administration, he said this has resulted in weavers losing their livelihood and facing severe financial distress.

KTR said Telangana’s weaver community had thrived in the last decade under the BRS government, but is now plunged into a crisis that is reminiscent of their condition during the time of united Andhra Pradesh.

The 10 weavers who died by suicide in Telangana this year were Guggilla Naresh of Khammam (died on January 20), Penti Venkanna of Khammam (March 17), Tadaka Srinivas of Sircilla (March 13), Siripuram Lakshminarayana of 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), Venkatesham from Karimnagar (June 16), and Kudikyala Nagaraju from Sircilla (June 22).

KTR said the Congress government halted schemes benefiting weavers and that this led to widespread unemployment and poverty within the community.

He said the previous BRS government had taken extensive measures to support the weavers, such as increasing budgetary allocation, assistance for modernising looms, waiving of loans, and providing market linkages. These efforts, he said, had rejuvenated the weaving industry, brought financial stability, and halted suicides. He urged the current government to immediately resume these schemes.