After Lagacherla, now farmers in Rangareddy protest attempts to acquire land for pharma project

Tension prevails at the Collectorate when farmers assembled in large numbers; holding placards, they raised slogans against the Congress government

Hyderabad: After Lagacherla, now farmers from Medipally, Nanaknagar and other villages in Rangareddy district are standing firm against parting with their lands for a proposed pharma project and staged a protest at the Rangareddy Collectorate on Saturday.

Interestingly, a few Congress leaders also extended support to farmers and participated in the protest. Despite this being against the party and government, the Congress leaders supported the farmers. Tension prevailed at the Collectorate when farmers assembled in large numbers. Holding placards, they raised slogans against the Congress government.

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Plans are being made to acquire over 2,000 acres from 1,000 farmers in Medipally, Nanaknagar, Tadiparthy and Kurmidda villages under Yacharam mandal. They also filed a petition in the court against the acquisition of their lands. It is learnt that the Rangareddy Collectorate served notices to the farmers to appear on Saturday and list out the reasons against parting with their lands. Accordingly, farmers, including men, women and the elderly, boarded tractors and arrived at the Collectorate.

In a video that is going viral on social media platforms, a farmer, Mallesham, is seen saying that he was served a notice by the Collector. “I own fertile lands and the government wants them for pharma city. I will not part with my land at any cost,” he said. Like him, many farmers vehemently opposed parting with their lands for the pharma project.

Congress leaders participate in protest
Meanwhile, the participation of a few Congress leaders in the farmers’ protest took many by surprise. Former MPP Racherla Venkateswarlu, Yacharam former Vice MPP Srinivas Reddy, Nanaknagar former Sarpanch Venkat Reddy and others participated in the protest, according to reports.

Before the Assembly elections, the Congress leaders assured the farmers that patta lands would not be acquired for the pharma project. They had even promised the farmers that they would prevail upon the government to refrain from acquiring patta lands.

Farmer lands listed under prohibited category
Meanwhile, many farmers alleged that their lands were listed under the prohibited category without their consent. The Congress leaders also assured the farmers that justice would be done to them and their lands would be removed from the prohibited category.