The Congress said its stand that the Telangana government would not be able to acquire land without revising the market value of land came true on Sunday as the Centre suggested revision and updating of the value for payment of compensation to oustees.
Addressing a media conference after the Telangana Assembly passed changes to the Bill on land acquisition, Congress MLA and president of the State unit of the party N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the changes were still incomplete because the State government had already acquired lands of several farmers by an earlier Government Order without updating market value. The party wanted to highlight the issue in the Assembly but it was not given the chance.
Stop Assent
Therefore, Mr. Reddy said, the party would meet President Pranab Mukherjee within a week and request him not to give assent to the changes made on Sunday.
Mr. Reddy said the Congress protested in the House because it wanted a market intervention fund of ₹ 1,000 crore to purchase the stocks of distressed chilli farmers. The government throttled the voice of Congress though it wanted to raise the concerns of lakhs of farmers who would be affected by Sunday’s legislation.
Leader of the Congress in the Assembly K. Jana Reddy said the party sought two parts of the session, one to discuss the Bill and the other on the problems of chilli farmers but the government was keen on carrying out the changes without any discussion.
