Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Venkata Gopala Gowda on Sunday said the Andhra Pradesh government should respect the fundamental rights of farmers who provided food to all.
Speaking at an interactive session with farmers and others affected by the land pooling and land acquisition, organised by the Rajadhani Praanta Rytu, Rytu Coolie Hakkula Parirakshana Samiti here, he said every government should respect the sentiments and rights of the farmers. “Many kingdoms, empires vanished because they acted against the wishes of farmers,” he remarked.
Justice Gopala Gowda listened to the farmers, lawyers, social activists and environmentalists on the issues concerning the government’s development policies.
Some farmers explained how their lands were forcibly taken away in different parts of the State for developmental work.
The farmers sought his opinion on a judicial mechanism which could protect their basic right on their lands. Responding to their pleas, the retired judge said the Andhra Pradesh government had 10 years time for the construction of the new capital but it had started land pooling and land acquisition activity within two years. It could have waited for some more years for the construction of the capital.
Lawyers, environmentalists and farmers expressed their views on how to protect lands and denounced the land acquisition policies of the government.
