Communist Party of India(Marxist) State Secretary V. Srinivasa Rao on Saturday alleged that land mafia with the support of ruling YSRCP leaders and revenue officials was trying to grab around 200 acres of prime lands at Narayanpuram village of Etcherla Assembly constituency in Srikakulam district. Along with the party State Secretariat member B. Tulasi Das and the party district secretary D. Govinda Rao, he interacted with Narayanapuram farmers and promised to protect their rights.
The farmers told him that 28 aces of INAM (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) lands were purchased by Andhavarapu Govindarajulu in the year 1904 and the remaining 171 acres of lands were under the possession of Dalits and backward classes. They said that the names of farmers were in Adangals and other revenue records till the year 2005 but influential people changed names and created new passbooks with the support of revenue officials.
They said that the value of the lands had gone up significantly with the real estate activity in and around Narayanpuram and land mafia came into the scene. Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that INAM lands were supposed to be distributed to the farmers. “The villagers have been agitating on the issue for the last 190 days. Instead of doing justice to the protesting farmers, the government is supporting influential people to grab those prime lands,” Mr. Srinivasa Rao alleged.
Mr. Govinda Rao alleged that the Police Department was harassing farmers and the CPI(M) leaders with false cases to suppress the agitation. Narayanpur Bhusagudarula Porata Committee leaders Korada Appanna, Tonangi Nandodu, J. Sitaram, P. Malleshu, P. Kavileswara Rao and others were present.
