Farmers say no to KCR meeting

Warangal: Controversy is brewing around the ruling TRS party's 20th formation day with the farmers up in arms, accusing that the party leaders of exerting pressure on them to give their cropland for the KCR's public meeting (Vijaya Garjana) to be held on November 29.

Ever since the TRS leadership has finalised Warangal as the venue for the Vijaya Garjana Sabha in commemoration of its formation day, the local leaders have been scouting for a suitable location that can accommodate at least 10 lakh people along with parking space.

Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Chief Whip D Vinay Bhaskar have already inspected quite a few locations in and around Warangal. A couple of days ago, the TRS leaders inspected a site measuring around 1,200 acres near Devannapet under Hasanparthy mandal. However, local farmers vehemently opposed that proposal. It's learnt that the TRS leaders had conducted a drone survey of the said land when the farmers raised a hue and cry.

The farmers contended that it's not fair to spoil their cultivated land just for the purpose of a meeting. It's alleged that some TRS leaders had threatened and manhandled farmers, who opposed allowing the meeting on their land. "Despite the threats from TRS leaders, we are not going to give our land for the public meeting," a farmer said.

When the organisers take up ground leveling for the public meeting, the border stones and other marks that determine land borders would be disturbed, besides crop loss. It could lead to chaos among the farmers, a resident of Devannapet said.

"It happened before in Prakashreddypet in the city when the TRS organised a huge public meeting in 2017. The leveling of ground then triggered land issues among the people. The TRS can organise a meeting if the farmers allow them voluntarily. The TRS Government which claims itself as farmers-friendly should not threaten the farmers," BJP State spokesperson Anugula Rakesh Reddy told The Hans India., assuring his party's support to Devannapet farmers.

Warangal DCC president Naini Rajender Reddy, who met the farmers in Devannapet village on Friday, assured them of Congress' support. It's not fair to threaten people with the help of police, he added.