Harish rebuts Opposition charge

​Hyderabad: Alleging that the Opposition was unnecessarily make an issue of land acquisition under Mallannasagar project for political gains, Minister for Irrigation T Harish Rao on Thursday said the government had paid best compensation to the affected people.

Replying to questions raised by the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Shabbir Ali that the State government had no right to amend the Land acquisition Act and that the President would not endorse the amendment as it was against the Constitution, Harsih Rao contended that the State government had the right under Article 254 to do so.

He cited the example of Gujarat which had already amended the Land Acquisition Act 2013 and the President of India had given assent to it. Shabbir Ali accused the Chief Minister of adopting double standard. The Chief Minister, he said, had criticised the Land Acquisition Act 2013 as an Act passed by “irresponsible” persons in Parliament.

He said the legislature should not be turned into a platform to criticise the Central government’s decision. Reacting to Shabbir Ali’s allegation that notices were sent to Mallannasagar residents, the Minister demanded that the member prove his charge.

He said over 80 per cent of farmers in Mallannasagar project had voluntarily come forward to part with their lands, there were no forcible acquisitions. Under G O 123, the government had paid more than the market value and it was ready to prove it.

MIM MLC Syed Altaf Hyder Razvi and BJP MLC N Ramchandra Rao asked if the government was ready to rehabilitate those who were affected under the project area.