CPI activists take to the streets

Protesters court arrest as part of stir against the new LA Act

May 15, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:58 am IST - VIJAYAWADA:

A CPI activist tries to give a slip to police during the party’s Jail Bharo, in Vijayawada on Thursday.- Photos: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar

A CPI activist tries to give a slip to police during the party’s Jail Bharo, in Vijayawada on Thursday.- Photos: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar

The Communist Party of India (CPI) staged a jail bharo to register their protest here against the amendments made to the Land Acquisition (LA) Act, 2013 by the Centre. The CPI leaders and workers courted arrest raising slogans against the amendments as part of the programme on Thursday.

The stir was organised as part the nation-wide protest. On the occasion, CPI State Secretary K. Ramakrishna said that the government has proved its ‘anti-farmer face’ by bringing out the Land Acquisition Bill (amendments). Prime Minister Narendra Modi was claiming that his government was pro-farmer by announcing increase in compensation for crop loss.

“If the Central government is so concerned about farmers, why did it amend the LA Act? Will there be any farmers left out to claim compensation for crop loss, if all their lands are taken away?” he asked.

Describing the LA ordinance as anti-farmer and atrocious, he said: “We are not against industrialisation, but the way the Centre is promoting it by bringing the Land Amendment Bill can't be accepted.”

Alleging that The Centre was planning to safeguard interests of corporate companies, he said that the government was amending the LA Act with a view to handing over agricultural lands on a platter to the corporates at the cost of life of farmers.

The Modi wave is on the wane because of its pro-rich, pro-corporate and anti-people policies. Instead of rectifying its policies, the Modi government was adamant on passage of the Bill to satisfy the industrialists, he said.

Mr. Ramakrishna said that around 8 crore farmers have rendered without shelter during the last 60 years owing to the lopsided policies of the successive governments at centre. The State government has already pooled 30,000 acres and is now gearing up to acquire another 12,000 acre fro the new capital. The TDP government’s plans would hit the farmers hard, he said.

CPI city secretary Donepudi Sankar, assistant secretary G. Koteswara Rao and others were among those arrested during the protest.

If the Centre is concerned about farmers, why did it amend the LA Act? Will there be any farmers left to claim compensation, if all their lands are taken away?

K. Ramakrishna,CPI State secretary

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