HYDERABAD: Tensions rose in Kamareddy district during a bandh called by the farmers’ joint action committee with the arrest of state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who earlier in the day castigated Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, claiming his anti-farmer policies had resulted in the death of a farmer.
“What kind of farmer-friendly government allows farmers to be targeted and victimised by real estate businesses under the guise of master plans,” Sanjay questioned and said it was a state murder, after visiting the family of Payyavula Ramulu, a farmer from Adloor Yellareddy village who died by suicide after fearing the loss of his agriculture land to an industrial zone under the new master plan.
Sanjay claimed the government was dismissive of Ramulu’s death, which left the farmer’s wife and two little children devastated. “Ramulu’s death cannot be classified as a suicide. His death was tantamount to murder by the government, the Chief Minister, a ‘real estate’ minister, and the district collector. The BJP will not rest till justice is served to the agitating farmers along with whom Ramulu had been protesting against the master plan. Nearly 2,000 acres of fertile farmland would be turned into an industrial zone,” remarked Sanjay.
He said that the BJP was not opposed to development but was against acquiring farmers land for the industrial zone because large parcels of non-agricultural land were available. “In principle, no one in Kamareddy opposes it. We will not, however, allow farmland to be taken over for the benefit of real estate businessmen who are BRS leaders. This government is acting as a middleman for the real estate businesses. This government is targeting poor farmers who it believes have no voice. The officials are in cahoots with BRS leaders in land business. There is nothing more shameful than destroying the lives of poor farmers,” Sanjay lashed out.
“Now, officials say Ramulu wasn’t even a farmer, despite the family holding patta passbooks. Does the government expect farmers to have a farmer’s stamp on their forehead? It was the government’s anti-farmer policies that drove Ramulu to commit suicide,” he slammed.
Sanjay Kumar demanded that the district collector quit if he is unable to meet farmers and explain the master plan, rather than working on behalf of the BRS leaders in the real estate business. “This plan was in the works for years and only came out when farmers started asking questions,” he remarked.
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