Congress Joins Vemulaghat Land Acquisition Protest

Addressing a protest meet today organised by the Forum For Utilisation Of Godavari Waters (FUGW) at Dharna Chowk in Vemulaghat marking the 100th day of the protest by the oustees of Mallanna Sagar, Leader Of Opposition in the Telangana State Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir slammed the State government for "forcibly" acquiring fertile lands from farmers for irrigation projects.

Shabbir Ali praised FUGW President Marri Shashidhar Reddy for organising the protest meet, and said that the Congress would extend all possible support to the agitation by the oustees of the Mallanna Sagar reservoir project.

The Congress leader claimed that the lands in Vemulaghat and its surrounding areas which are to be submerged under the project had yielded good quality crops during the last Rabi and Kharif seasons. He said that this move would be detrimental to the farmers' well-being, and do more harm than good.

Shabbir Ali alleged that the State government was keener on acquiring lands than taking care of the farmers' welfare, and said that that was the reason that instead of implementing the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, the government was forcing the farmers to surrender their lands under the renewed GO 123 which did not offer much by way of fair compensation.

He slammed the TRS-led government for imposing the 50-day curfew in the villages surrounding Mallanna Sagar, and accused Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao of keeping the farmers as hostages in their own villages. Shabbir Ali said that the Congress leaders would meet Governor E S L Narasimhan on Monday to speak about the curfew, and the alleged manhandling of villagers and the members of the Opposition parties.