Opposition to mount pressure on govt for comprehensive Revenue Act

Hyderabad: Leaders of several political parties have emphasised on the need to build a movement to exert pressure on the State government to bring a comprehensive Revenue Act in the State and decided to formulate an action plan.

Leader of Congress in Assembly Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, TTDP leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy, CPI State secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and others have made it clear that pressure should be brought on the government to bring a comprehensive law on the land affairs.

They made it clear that unless a survey is held in the State on the lands it would not be possible to cleanse the records of the lands.

The leaders said that the government must discuss the new law with all the stakeholders. They have participated in an all-party programme on 'Government efforts to change land records–consequences' being organised by Kisan Congress Telangana unit.

President of Telangana Kisan Congress Anvesh Reddy presided over the meeting. National vice-chairman of Kisan Congress M Kodanda Reddy, AICC secretary Vamshichand Reddy, SA Sampath, MLA D Sithakka, CPI leader P Padma and legal expert Sunil have participated in it.

Speaking in the programme, Vikramarka said that the Congress has brought several acts to protect the rights of the farmers on the lands being possessed by them.

He said that the farmers agitation in Telangana for the rights on the lands has turned into Peasants Armed Struggle during the Nizam's regime.

The Congress leader stated that as the Naxals movement spread in the combined Andhra Pradesh the then government brought land reforms and distributed lands among the people.

In 1970s, the then Congress government has brought Tenancy Act to protect the rights of the tenant farmers.

He said that when YS Rajasekhara Reddy government hold talks with Naxals in 2004, Koneru Ranga Rao panel was formed to address the land issues. The committee has given a report with solutions to all the problems.

But the present Telangana government has been trying to deprive all the benefits being provided by the previous government to the farmers with the new Revenue Act.

He alleged that issuing of Pattadar Passbooks to the farmers was a farce. Ravula mentioned that government must see that the fate of the Revenue Act did not meet that of the Municipal Act. He said that though the TRS leaders claimed that the Municipal Act was a wonder, it was rejected by the Governor.

CPI state secretary Venkat Reddy made chief minister responsible for the rampant corruption among the Revenue officials.

MLA D Sithakka said that the government has not been giving land certificates to those who have been enjoying the lands of a former landlord. She said that still the government records show that one Umar Khan is the owner of about 16,000 acres of land.

Advocate Sunil has explained that many of the cases are filed in the courts due to no proper land records. He said that land disputes are behind 65 per cent of the crimes. He said that 14 per cent of the murders have been taking place due to the land disputes.