Congress to unite opposition against government’s land survey
HYDERABAD: After spearheading all-party protests against handcuffing of farmers in Khammam, over the Nerella Dalits’ alleged custodial torture and also over the suicide attempt by two Dalits for allotment of three acres of agricultural land by the government as promised, Congress, the principal Opposition party in the state, has decided to unite the Opposition parties once again for fighting against the TRS government’s proposed ‘Comprehensive Land Survey’.
In its bid to oppose the government’s decision to form farmers’ committees on nomination basis in each village, which will guide officials on holding the land survey, Congress has decided to set up Rythu Samrakshana Samithis (Farmers’ Protection Cells) in all villages. Asking the government to immediately scrap GO Ms No. 39, which was issued for forming farmers’ committees at various levels with regard to land survey, TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Thursday that his party would organise protests across the state on September 11 against the GO.
“By joining hands with other Opposition parties, Congress will constitute Rythu Samrakshana Samithis in all villages. After that, we will launch a massive agitation with these Rythu Samithis against the government’s act of forming farmers’ committees with TRS members,” he declared. According to Uttam, as per the GO No.39, the proposed “TRS farmers’ committees” would be granted financial and judicial powers to settle land disputes among farmers in villages. “This is completely unconstitutional and should not be allowed. The GO should be withdrawn immediately,” he demanded.
Interacting with mediapersons at Gandhi Bhavan here on Thursday, Uttam Kumar Reddy accused Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of intending to accommodate TRS workers on proposed farmers’ committees through backdoor so as to enable them misuse public funds for political gains in next elections. “The proposed payment of `4,000 per acre as input subsidy to farmers is an election gimmick which Rao wants to play through TRS workers. It is completely unacceptable and Congress will oppose it tooth and nail with the help of other opposition parties,” he said.
The TPCC chief, however, clarified that Congress was not against giving `4,000 input subsidy to farmers. But, he said it should be distributed through the district administration and not through ‘TRS committees’.
The entire exercise was aimed at benefiting TRS sympathisers while implementing welfare schemes for farmers. The government also wanted to terrorise farmers with its proposed land survey, he alleged.
The CM is trying to make the entire revenue and land administration machinery ineffective by appointing a TRS committee in each village. GO Ms No 39 empowers the ‘TRS committees’ to select farmers for distribution of `4,000 per acre input subsidy.
N Uttam Kumar Reddy, TPCC chief