Yanamala Questions Pawan Kalyan On Land Acquisition

Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu today said that Jana Sena president and actor Pawan Kalyan who had been asking the state government not to acquire land forcibly from farmers for the new capital city Amaravathi, should have also suggested how to develop Amaravathi otherwise.

Pawan Kalyan had been saying that land should be acquired only with the consent of the farmers and not forcibly by using the Land Acquisition Act.

Reacting to the Jana Sena chief's remarks, Yanamala said that it was not proper for Pawan Kalyan to advise against the use of the Land Acquisition Act. And the actor should then have also suggested how to create the new capital without acquiring land, the minister said.

Taking a dig at Kalyan's remarks, Yanamala quoted mythology, saying, "We are not Viswamitras to built a 'Trishanku' heaven without land."

Referring to the package announced by the Prime Minister for Bihar, the minister said that AP needed special status as well as a special package as promised in Parliament, and added that a proposal had been sent to the Centre seeking a Rs 25,000-crore package.