Doesn’t Snatching Away Farmland For Building A Port Amount To Loot?

Potlapalem, Krishna District: This morning on my Padayatra, Chalamalasetti Swathi of Gopuvanipalem village asked me to take care of the interests of farmers. I asked her what had happened. “From the times of our forefathers they had land to the extent of about 1.15 acres. This land has been our lifeline and we survived all through only because of it. Our livelihood has always depended on it. Claiming that a port was being built, they’re now trying to acquire our land. How will we survive without our sole means of livelihood? We have two daughters and I worry about their future. How will we get them educated and married? We are not sure that we would be given any compensation.

If you are forced to run around government offices for compensation after our land is acquired, what will be our fate? After seeing what’s happening to farmers in the Amaravati region, we are gripped by fear. We simply cannot trust Chandrababu Naidu. We hope that once your government comes to power you will take care of the interests of farmers,” she said expressing her anguish.

Women from Potlapalem who met me in the evening expressed a similar fear. Venumanikyam said—“Anna, all of us depend on agriculture in this area. Farmers have been badly hit after this government came to power. The Chandrababu Naidu government has been trying to acquire land in the name of a port. Banks have stopped giving loans to us after the announcement about our land being acquired for a port. Land here is worth over around Rs.50 lakhs an acre and the government is trying to acquire it at 10-12 lakhs an acre. This is supposed to be our government and it should back us and give us a fair deal. What is this? I will not part with a cent of land even if I am killed,” she said, with palpable anger.

She added, “Some farmers are selling their land in desperation thinking that they would not get any compensation.” How cruel! How unjust is it to acquire land forcibly for one’s selfish ends in the name of a port! Fully aware that an ultra-modern port can be built over 4800 acres, why is the government intent on acquiring 33,000 acres of farmland? what is the motive behind this unjustifiable acquisition? if this is not loot then what is? If the farmers of a region cannot be happy, what can be the determiner of progress? How can progress be achieved?”

Referring to me affectionately as brother, a few Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) from Primary Health Centres (PHCs) met me. "I have been a contract worker for the last seventeen years. Yet, my salary today is still Rs 10,000. They make us slog. We are threatened and dragged to political meetings. We were also taken to the recently held Chandrababu deeksha the same way.

However, the CM doesn't really bother about us," sobbed a woman pouring out her woes.

Another woman said: "My services were regularised under your father's late Dr YSR's regime. He had initiated a process to regularise all the contract employees. Thanks to him, our salaries too were hiked. If YSR could do it, why not Chandrababu?" Only a person with a clear conscience can do good to others. But what can you expect from Chandrababu who lacks sincerity?

"Anna, we depend on this small shop. I sit here from dawn to desk and collected over a lakh which we invested in Agri Gold Scheme only to be cheated," said Dasari Sandhya with tears in her eyes. "We don't trust the present government can do any justice to us. You have to get our money back soon as you come to power," she pleaded. What should you do to those who blow up the money of poor citizens? What would you call those traitors who are now looking to gobble up the ill-gotten money?

I have a poser for the chief minister—Releasing a mere Rs 1100 crores can do justice to around 80% of Agri Gold victims. What's stopping you from doing that? Isn’t it injustice and unfair to snatch away lands from the poor at such cheap prices?