AP Govt told to protect basic rights of farmers

Vijayawada: Supreme Court retired judge Justice Gopal Gowd said Andhra Pradesh has a great history of culture, language and politics and the state government should give respect to the fundamental rights of the farmers. He said it is the duty of the governments to protect the farmers as they provide food, milk et al.

He made emotional comments against the oppressive policies of the Telugu Desam government when some farmers narrated their problems and sad experiences before the Supreme Court former judge Gopal Gowd at Vedika Function Hall here on Sunday.

Justice Gopal Gowd lent a patient hearing to the problems of the farmers at an interactive session organised by Rajadhani Praanta Rytu-Rytu Coolie Hakkula Parirakshana Samiti (APRRCHPS).

Farmers, lawyers, social activists and environmentalists and others attended the session. Some farmers explained how the government intimidating the farmers with police force and how their valuable lands were forcibly seized in different parts of the state particularly in Amaravati, Machilipatnam in Krishna, Prakasam and West Godavari districts for the development works.

The angry farmers asked the retired judge is there is any judicial mechanism to protect their basic rights on lands. Responding to it, he said the state government has 10 years for the construction of the new capital but it started the land pooling or land acquisition activity within two years for the construction of the capital. He felt that the state government could have waited some more years for the construction of the capital.

He said every government must respect the sentiments and rights of the farmers. “Many kingdoms, empires were vanished because they acted against the wishes of farmers, who give food and milk to the society,” he added.

He said Andhra Pradesh has a great history of culture, religion, politics and reminded that the soil had produced great leader like N T Rama Rao, who was treated as a demigod when he was attired in the dress of Lord Rama and Krishna, he pointed out.

He said people of Andhra have elected great leaders like Neelam Sanjeev Reddy to Parliament and expressed strong displeasure when farmers narrated their problems how the TDP government had been harassing them to get lands for development activities.

Lawyers, environmentalists and farmers discussed how to protect their lands in the meeting and strongly denounced the land pooling and land acquisition policies of the Andhra Pradesh government. Former minister Vadde Sobhanadriswara Rao, social activists Anumolu Gandhi, Bolisetty Satyanarayana and others organised the event.