SIDDIPET: The villagers of Vemulaghat in the proposed Mallanna Sagar reservoir renewed their agitation against land acquisition.
It may be recalled that Vemulaghat villagers had approached the High Court and the latter had ruled that the government should not acquire land under GO 123.
Subsequently the government in the current Assembly sessions brought in the Land Acquisition Act, 2016 and sent it for the consent of President of India. About 14 villagers are to be submerged in the proposed Mallanna Sagar reservoir and Vemulaghat village in Siddipet district has been demanding compensation under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and continuing agitation against the government for fair compensation.
If the state government wants to acquire lands under the 2016 Act, then it has to get approval from President of India. Vemulaghat villagers, after coming to know this, have decided to write to President of India demanding compensation under the 2013 Act. The villagers have decided to write post cards to President and on Thursday launched the post card agitation.On the first day, as many as twenty five villagers have written post cards to Pranab Mukherjee.
Twenty five oustees came to Siddipet post office and posted their cards in the box. The villagers are continuing their relay hunger strike for the last 229 days without bending to any sort of government pressure. The agitations is being continued despite the government imposed many sanctions. When PM Modi came to Gajwel also, they continued their agitation, Section 144 was imposed in the village for 50 daysand no one was allowed to enter and leave the village.
The villagers blocked the government pressures and GO 123 by approaching the court. Presently they started agitation against the 2016 Act. Congress, TDP and other Opposition parties already announced that they will meet President about his consent to the Act.
Congress senior leader and former deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarsimha said they led the legal battle against GO 123 and won. BJP district leadership recently held padayatra from Thoguta to Vemulaghat and said they will bring pressure on the Central government to oppose the 2016 Act.
Srinivas Reddy from Vemulaghat said about 500 oustees will write post cards to President and will request him for justice. The villagers remind that when Congress government brought in the 2013 Act, Pranab Mukherjee was present in the House and part of the government that tabled the Act. Now the villagers feel that definitely President will do justice.