Guntur: Anti-LPS farmers from various areas of the capital region staged a protest against resumption of farmland burnings and demanded stern actions against the culprits.
The farmers with leaders of various political parties and organisations, barring Telugu Desam, squatted in the burnt sugarcane farmland at Velagapudi of the capital region on Saturday. Prof. C. Ramachandraiah, Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad also joined the protest.
YSR Congress leaders, led by Mangalagiri MLA A. Ramakrishna Reddy, and leaders visited the burnt farmland. Mr Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that as the works of new capital Amaravati is going to start, the government has started a “fear game” among non-LPS farmers. He alleged that the government tried to scare the farmers last December but that flopped.
Mr RamakrishnaReddy, senior YSRC leader and MLC Ummareddy Venkate-swarlu and other leaders condemned the burning of sugarcane crops and warned that YSRC will not allow forcible snatching of lands from anti-LPS farmers.
CPM leaders, led by CPM capital area committee convener Ch. Babu Rao, joined the dharna.
Mr Babu Rao said that the government has started a “mind game” for creating fear among anti LPS farmers by burning farms.
Victim farmer G. Chandrasekhar Rao said that he did not give his land for the new capital under LPS as he did not trust the government. He added that the government failed to generate confidence among farmers.
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao expressed suspicion that his farmland was reduced to ashes to create fear am-ong the anti-LPS farmers.
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao demanded stern action against the culprits and protection of farmlands of anti LPS farmers in the capital region.
The anti-LPS farmers of various villages apprehended that they will be forced to sleep in their farmlands to protect it if the farmland burning continues.
They raised slogans against the government and demanded arrest of the culprits who burnt the sugarcane farmland.
They also demanded compensation and issuing of orders to exclude their farmlands for capital construction.
