Storm over Mallannasagar

​Hyderabad: Criticising the state government for forcing farmers out of their farm lands and villages for the construction of Mallannasagar reservoir, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat asked the chief minister to provide adequate compensation to the affected farmers and stop all acts of intimidation.

She described K Chandrashekar Rao as the only CM in the history of this country to have ‘turned the guns’ towards people in his home district.

Speaking at the ‘Maha Dharna’ organised by Telangana Bhoonirvasithula Committee on Tuesday where thousands of affected farmers and sympathisers turned up, she expressed anguish at the government for suppressing the voice of farmers and seizing their lands without providing them adequate compensation.

She expressed solidarity with the farmers who were fighting for their rights in villages that would be submerged under the proposed Mallannasagar project. She questioned the chief minister’s role in causing large-scale displacement of people by using GO 123. “The government should stop forcible takeover of farm lands,” she demanded.

While referring to the use of force against peasants, Dalits, children and women, the Rajya Sabha member described the chief minister’s attitude as ‘dictatorial’. She demanded compensation to victims of lathicharge at Mallannasagar, besides punishing police officials responsible for the action.

“People do not want Golden Telangana, but they want a State that offers them livelihood,” she observed. Former High Court Justice B Chandra Kumar demanded the state government to make public all details regarding the land acquired in and around Hyderabad during the past ten years.

He cautioned that any government which fails to support farmers would lose its mandate. CPM leader Thammineni Veerabhadram, AAP co-convener P L Vishweshwar Rao and representatives of various civil society groups attended the demonstration.