Tribal land row: KTR seeks probe by national commissions, slams Congress' 'silence'

New Delhi: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) on Thursday urged national commissions to investigate alleged atrocities against tribal farmers in the Telangana chief minister's home constituency.

KTR questioned the "silence" of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), criticising them for not raising their voice against the alleged land acquisition for a pharma project of the CM Revanth Reddy's son-in-law in Kodangal in Vikarabad district.

"The state is suffering from anarchy," KTR said at a press conference in the national capital, alleging that Reddy's brother was threatening tribals in Lagarcharla village with impunity. He claimed the police acted like a "private army", arresting men and children illegally and "molesting" women.

To set up a pharma project in Kodangal, the state government has issued a notification for the acquisition of 1,373 acres of land.

In the first phase, the notification was issued for acquiring 622 acres of land from 580 farmers, he said, and added, "When they denied, they were threatened and attacked."

The tribal farmers, who have been protesting for nine months, are being offered just Rs 8-10 per acre for land valued at Rs 60-70 per acre for setting up a pharma project, he told reporters here.

Over 30 tribal farmers from Lagarcharla have been arrested and allegedly subjected to third-degree torture, he said.

KTR challenged Rahul Gandhi to break his silence and meet the victims, calling out the Congress's "double standards" on the issue of land acquisition.

"You criticise crony capitalism but remain silent on Revanth Reddy's pharma land-grabbing," he said.

He said during the BRS tenure, 14,000 acres of land was acquired in eight years for setting up a pharma city but it could not be implemented due to the state polls.

At that time, the opposition Congress criticised the land acquisition saying setting up a pharma city will cause pollution. "Now, tribal farmers are citing the same reason and opposing," he said.

KTR said that his party is not opposed to the development work but the land should not be grabbed forcibly. "The issue will be raised in Parliament in the coming session," he said.

Earlier during the day, the farmers approached national commissions for SC/ST, women, and human rights, seeking their intervention in what they describe as a systematic assault on their rights and livelihood.

"For nine months, we have been protesting peacefully. Instead of hearing us, they send police to harass us. They arrest our men, assault our women, and force us to leave our lands. How can we survive without our lands?" said Devibhai, a tribal from Lagarcharla village.