BRS Calls for Reinstatement of Suspended Agriculture Extension Officers

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao has demanded the reinstatement of 160 Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs) who were suspended by the Telangana government.

Rama Rao criticized the Congress-led government for the suspensions, labeling the action as “atrocious.” He expressed his concerns on ‘X’, condemning the suspensions tied to the AEOs’ non-participation in the Digital Crop Survey.

Referring to the ongoing protests, he stated that the public and government employees alike are suffering under Congress rule. “Everyone is taking to the streets,” he said.

KTR, as he is commonly known, highlighted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s promise of two lakh jobs, arguing that the Revanth Reddy government is instead eliminating even existing positions. He accused the government of unfairly targeting employees who are merely asserting their rights.

He called for the reinstatement of all suspended AEOs and urged the government to engage in dialogue with employees to address their concerns.

The agriculture department suspended the 160 AEOs for various reasons, with AEO associations claiming they are being punished for refusing to participate in a digital crop survey due to staff shortages. However, during discussions with agriculture department officials on Wednesday, the AEOs agreed to take part in a trial of the survey and to download the necessary application.

This agreement was reached during talks with Agriculture Director B. Gopi, who assured the AEOs that they wouldn’t need to upload multiple photographs of land parcels or visit remote villages during the survey.

The AEOs have since requested that their suspensions be revoked, and officials have promised to consider their demand.

BRS leaders have accused the government of overburdening AEOs with additional responsibilities and harassing them. Former minister T. Harish Rao pointed out that in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Odisha, private and outsourced employees are conducting the digital survey instead.