Carrying a wooden plough on his shoulders, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, YSRC MLA from Mangalagiri ploughed the fields for about an hour to express solidarity with farmers who have not given consent to Land Pooling Scheme (LPS).
Mr. Reddy, who has been leading a spirited fight against the forcible acquisition of land, ploughed lands, sprayed fertilizer and plucked vegetables from the farm for close to two hours at this village, where at least 1,000 acres have still not been pooled.
Citing a recent High Court judgment which directed the State Government not to come in the way of those land owners who have not signed form 9.3 giving consent to land pooling, the MLA said that the government has been terrorizing land owners into submission.
“Most of the farmers in Penumaka are small farmers, who grow vegetables and flowers. Why does the government want to stop cultivation?’’ he questioned.
Accusing the State Government of turning a blind eye to the plight of farmers in the Capital region, Mr. Reddy alleged that the government had stopped all interventions in the form subsidies on seed and fertilisers, providing soil health cards and suggestions on Kharif cultivation.
“Worse, the Department of Agriculture, supposed to hold ``Polam Badi,’’ programme has cancelled the programmes in Penumaka and Undavalli villages. I want to assure the farmers that the YSR Congress Party will stand by them in this hour of crisis,’’ Mr. Reddy said. The MLA said that land owners, who have given consent forms, have now started rethinking about their decision after the cash-for-vote scam had broken out.
