Land Acquisition: Congress Leaders Meet President

A delegation of Congress leaders led by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday met President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi to apprise him of the State government's "forcible" land acquisition policies in Telangana.

The delegation comprised of Leaders Of Opposition K Jana Reddy (Assembly) and Mohammed Ali Shabbir (Council), TPCC Working President Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ex-TPCC President Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Rajya Sabha MP Palwai Godvardhan Reddy, ex-Deputy CM Damodar Rajanarasimha and other senior leaders.

Upon reaching the venue, Reddy handed over a letter to the President's office in which he requested the President to initiate steps to prevent the violation of constitutional and legal provisions in Telangana.

"Lakhs of acres of lands of small farmers are being forcibly acquired by the Government Of Telangana in gross violation of all constitutional safeguards and provisions. The farmers, land tenants, agriculture labourers and artisans have become helpless and vulnerable. The government is violating the Right To Fair Compensation And Transparency In Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, and resorting to forcible land acquisition for irrigation projects," Reddy said in the letter.

"In the name of redesigning the projects, the government is altering completely feasible projects initiated by the previous Congress government. We suspect that the Government Of Telangana aims to increase the costs of the projects exorbitantly and indulge in financial irregularities," he alleged.

The TPCC chief also gave a detailed account of how the interests of the farmers were being sidelined through the implementation of the GO 123.

"There is no wilful sale of land by farmers. The government is literally extorting them using revenue officials and police forces," he said, and claimed that besides denying a fair compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement to the farmers, the TRS-led government did not also take up the Social Impact Assessment study or the Environmental Impact study.

"As per the Land Acquisition Act 2013, at every step a 'grameen sabha' has to be conducted, and the objections and suggestions of Opposition parties need to be considered. No 'sabhas' have been held in any village so far," he said.

The TPCC chief also urged the President to direct the government to mandatorily implement the 2013 Land Acquisition Act so that the evacuees would get social security benefits.

He also complained about the imposition of Section 144 against the protestors in villages that would be submerged under the proposed reservoir. He demanded the lifting the of curfew order and the withdrawal of "false" cases against the villagers.

"We are apprehensive of the safety and well-being of farmers, farm labourers and artisans near the Mallanna Sagar region. Placing curfews, throwing tear gas shells and instilling fear among people are draconian methods. Unless there is a serious intervention from the President of India, this situation cannot be solved. And therein lies the significance of our meeting and this message. You may kindly consider directing the Government Of India to ensure that all constitutional and legal provisions are adhered to while procuring land from small and marginal farmers of Telangana and other States. Your intervention alone can instill confidence among the people of Telangana," Reddy said.