Date:18/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/18/stories/2005041807580400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Lathicharge at Thotapalli condemned

Staff Reporter

Suspension of the Joint Collector, DSP sought

HYDERABAD: The State committee of All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) has demanded compensation to agitators injured in lathicharge at Thotapalli, including its working president, Punyavati.

T. Jyoti, president, and K. Swaruparani, secretary, in a statement issued here on Sunday said the Vizianagaram Communist Party of India (Marxist) district secretary, Krishnamurthy, was among the seriously injured, along with scores of farmers. They demanded treatment for the injured. The AIDWA leaders condemned the lathicharge on farmers who were agitating to press for compensation for land taken over for the Thotapalli Project. They wanted the Government to resume work only after payment of compensation.

The Andhra Pradesh Karmika Sangham, the State executive committee of the All-India Mazdoor Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham also condemned the lathicharge and use of teargas on the agitators. They sought compensation to the injured and also to farmers.

K. Krishnamurty, president, and B.Venkat, general secretary of the Karmika Sangham, wanted the Government to suspend the Joint Collector, Siddharth Gautam, the DSP, K.V. Chandra Rao, for their role in the police action. V. Venkataramayya, president, and G. Diwakar, general secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sabha, said compensation at the rate of Rs. 1.8 lakhs an acre should be paid to farmers.

K. Nageswara Rao, president, and T.V. Chowdary, general secretary of the Rytu Sangham said the Forest Minister, S. Vijayarama Raju, should honour his assurance to farmers of paying 100 per cent compensation for their lands.

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) also condemned the police action. In a statement in Vijayawada, the Forum's State committee member, K. Balagopal, and the Krishna district convenor, K. Sudha, said farmers were only demanding concrete steps for payment of compensation to their lands and a proper rehabilitation package.

Rehabilitation

Though the Government had promised prompt action, the farmers were not confident of their rehabilitation. Given the continuing agitation by oustees of the Sardar Sarovar project on the Narmada, the apprehensions of the farmers of Vizianagaram were genuine, they said. They said to avoid recurrence of such incidents, the Government should first initiate steps for rehabilitation of the displaced before commencing works on projects.