Left parties in Telangana along with Congress denounced Sunday’s lathi-charge by police on the protestors of Mallannasagar project, and demanded that the government apologise unconditionally, withdraw cases booked against the protestors and take action against the officials responsible.
Addressing a press conference organised by the Telangana Bhoonirvasithula Porata Committee here on Monday, prominent leaders from all the parties unequivocally condemned the incident, and refuted Minister T. Harish Rao’s statement that it was conspiracy by the opposition parties.
Retired High Court judge B. Chandrakumar, who is the honorary president of the Committee, questioned if people did not have the right to carry out a peaceful protest. Even before reaching the main road or creating a road blockade, the protestors, including women and children, were swooped upon and beaten up indiscriminately, he said.
“Even if they had created an obstruction, it would have been proper for officials to come down and convince them to call off the protest. Instead, they were beaten up mercilessly. It is to be remembered that history has never forgiven the rulers who have people’s blood on their hands,” Justice Chandrakumar said, and asserted that this law and order situation was created by the government. He said a visit would be paid by the delegation to the victims’ houses.
The CPI(M) State secretary, Tammineni Veerabhadram, wondered how the government intended to determine who wanted compensation under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and who didn’t.
“The ruling party might take pride in votes and people’s mandate. But votes are not the measure for anybody’s life and political integrity. Such an approach is not good for Mr. Harish Rao as an upcoming political leader,” Mr. Veerabhadram said.
The first demand still remains that the project be stopped, or if not, the extent of land acquisition be reduced. The choice offered instead was between LA Act 2013, and GO 123, which was anyway a spurious option, he said.
“The government should come out with a direction about whom to approach for compensation under the Act, and show a way for people to prove that they want compensation under the Act,” he demanded.
Congress party leader M. Kodand Reddy termed it ‘shameful’ that Mr. Harish Rao backed the police excesses, and expressed doubts if the lathi-charge was carried out upon Mr. Rao’s instructions. The protestors were not even on the main road when the caning happened, he reminded, and questioned if the government wished to issue ‘firmans’ rather than implementing the law.
CPI State secretary Chada Venkat Reddy referred to ‘vanta-varpu’ programmes during the Telangana movement, which had blocked the roads, and sought to know why people’s protests on similar lines were not being tolerated after the much-vaunted ‘party of struggles’ came to power.
Setting up of sub-registrar office in Etigaddakishtapur has subjected the farmers to untold pressure, he said.
CPI(ML) New Democracy, Telangana Rythu Sangham and Telangana State Rythu Sankshema Samithi too announced their solidarity with the farmers.
