Big trouble brewing over 1K acres of land in Medchal dist

Hyderabad: BJP MP alleges officials adopting coercive methods to grab 410 acres of assigned lands A little over 1,000 acres is turning contentious with battle lines drawn between the assignees and farmers vs the government and the Telangana Waqf Board.

The Lavani Patta holders of 450 acres in survey no 453, 454 at Dundigal Village, Qutbullapur constituency, are up in arms against officials, alleging that the government is trying to snatch their land without giving compensation. They accuse officials and police of adopting coercive methods to silence their voices to protest against depriving them of their land.

Raising the issue, Malkagiri MP Eatala Rajender, while supporting the agitating farmers, said double-bedroom houses have been constructed on some of 450 acres during the BRS regime. The Congress government is trying to snatch the remaining 410 acres without giving any compensation.

The MP recalled that the then Congress government had given 60 yards in the name of Indiramma Pattas to 600 people. Besides, the then PCC chief and now CM A Revanth Reddy had assured during the 2019 LS elections the land would be handed over to the assignees. However, the government is trying to grab it.

Eatala said farmers have been cultivating the land for 40 years. "Officials are trying to take the land as they like. What do they think? Is it their jagir?" he asked. He pointed out that the KCR government had also done the same, and people defeated the BRS. "None has the right to grab assigned lands at will’.

He recalled how earlier assigned lands were snatched in the name of ring road construction without giving a rupee compensation. "We fought this with former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy." The patta lands and assigned lands were not released until compensation was paid.

"If the government needs it, it should compensate people. The government is not a real estate broker. It is not good for the government to turn into an eagle and threaten people fielding police to stanch lands." He said assigned lands are not given for one year. The assignees have been cultivating the lands since their grandfather's time. In many States like TN and UP, absolute rights are given on assigned lands after 15 years. However, KCR did not hand over assigned lands to the poor. The government should not act like a real estate broker.

Eatala said he won’t be sitting and seeing the government take away lands and destroy lives of people. "None has the right to harass the poor; we will go to court to challenge the government's attempts to deprive people of their patta lands." He demanded the government immediately resume the assigned lands if they were sold to others.

Meanwhile, in the district, the Telangana Waqf Board notification on Friday claiming ownership of over 750 acres turned contentious. The Viswa Hindu Parishad national spokesperson, Dr Ravinuthala Sashidar, questioned the board’s overnight decision a day after a similar exercise on the lines of claiming 1,500 acres of farmers’ lands in Vijayapura district of Karnataka.

He termed usurping the farmers’ lands ahead of the Centre bringing amendments to the Waqf Board Act "tantamount to illegal means in a hurry backed by vote bank politics." It is a travesty of natural justice. "We stand by people's movements and legal battles against the Waqf Board’s injustice."