Kothagudem: CPI demands for implementation of Forest Rights Act

Kothagudem: CPI leaders in the district demanded the forest officials to stop their repression against podu farmers. CPI workers and leaders took out a massive protest rally at Bhadrachalam on Monday in support of their demand and laid siege to the local divisional forest office. Speaking on the occasion the party district secretary SK Sabir […]

Kothagudem: CPI leaders in the district demanded the forest officials to stop their repression against podu farmers. CPI workers and leaders took out a massive protest rally at Bhadrachalam on Monday in support of their demand and laid siege to the local divisional forest office. Speaking on the occasion the party district secretary SK Sabir Pasha and its state executive member R Ramprasad addressed the gathering.

The leaders demanded implementation of Forest Rights Act 2005 and to stop forest officials’ attacks on Podu cultivators. Resistance was inevitable if the forest department did not stop restraining podu farmers, they said. Tribal farmers in the district were under panic due to the outrage of forest officials. The authorities would not be allowed to take away podu lands, Pasha said while demanding the government to issue pattas to podu lands.

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Ramprasad called on the people to unite and revolt if forest officials attacked the podu farmers. The State government should respond immediately and do justice to the tribal farmers who were cultivating the podu lands, he demanded. CPI (ML) Praja Pandha leader K Ranga Reddy extended support to the CPI protest. CPI state committee member K Venkateshwar Rao, Girijana Samakhya leader Kunja Srinivasa Rao, Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham leader R Yellayya and others were present