NDA also neglected weavers

HYDERABAD: The BJP has no moral right to speak about the demands of weavers because the NDA regime neglected their welfare, handlooms and textiles minister P Shankar Rao said. Talking to newsmen here on Wednesday, he said BJP national secretary P Muralidhara Rao began a three-day hunger strike at Indira Park on the weavers’ issue for political mileage. The minister who dared the BJP leadership to a debate on the issue, said the Congress government initiated several measures for the welfare of weavers and development of the handloom sector. A sum of Rs 394 crore was allocated in the budget for the handloom sector. The budgetary allocation for the handloom sector would be increased to Rs1,000 crore next fiscal. The Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre recently announced an aid package for the weavers, he said.