Kavitha Detained During Protest Over Farmers’ Paddy Procurement Issues in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, May 2026: Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) leader Kalvakuntla Kavitha and several party workers were detained by police on Friday at the Telangana Secretariat while staging a protest over issues faced by farmers in the state.

Kavitha, along with her supporters, staged a sit-in protest in front of the Secretariat, accusing the state government of negligence in the procurement of paddy from farmers. The protesters raised slogans and displayed placards demanding the immediate acceleration of paddy procurement and payment of bonuses to farmers.

Police personnel intervened and forcibly removed Kavitha, including several women protestors, from the protest site. All detained individuals were taken away in police vehicles, and Kavitha was later shifted to the Falaknuma Police Station.

Speaking to the media after her detention, Kavitha alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s government had failed to address the severe distress faced by farmers across Telangana. She claimed that farmers were left in anguish as procurement of key crops such as paddy, jowar, and red gram had been delayed or neglected.

“It is heartbreaking to see farmers dying at procurement centres,” she said, alleging that the government had turned a blind eye to the agrarian crisis.

Kavitha stated that the protest was organised to urge the government to “wake up” and take immediate corrective steps to support the farming community. She demanded that all procured crops be purchased without delay and that farmers be provided timely relief.

She further alleged that during the last two-and-a-half years, the Chief Minister had not conducted a single review meeting on agriculture, reflecting what she called administrative indifference towards the farming sector.

According to her, farmers are struggling with multiple issues including delayed procurement, crop damage due to unseasonal rains, and lack of proper support at procurement centres. She said farmers are forced to dry rain-soaked paddy, maize, cotton, and jowar under difficult conditions while waiting for government procurement.

Kavitha also raised concerns over alleged irregularities at procurement centres, claiming that officials were arbitrarily deducting weight and delaying purchases under the pretext of high moisture content in grains. She further alleged that millers were misleading farmers by downgrading A-grade produce to B-grade without accountability.

“Even now, the Chief Minister should respond, personally visit procurement centres, and assure farmers of support,” she said, adding that Telangana Rakshana Sena continues to demand that every grain grown by farmers be procured without discrimination.

The protest led to heightened security around the Secretariat area, with police maintaining a strong presence to prevent further demonstrations.