Rahul: Modi, KCR grabbing farmers’ lands

Virtually sounding the poll bugle at a public meeting in Sangareddy on Thursday, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi trained his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

He accused Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of “grabbing lands of farmers” by diluting the UPA government's Land Acquisition Act, 2013. He said Congress blocked the PM’s attempts to dilute the Land Act thrice, but Mr Rao also adopted the same “Gujaratmodel land acquisition policy “by bringing in the new Land Acquisition Act recently.

Mr Gandhi said that the people of Telangana believed they would get their rightful share of land, funds, water and jobs if Telangana state is formed, but the TRS government has been working for the interests of contractors and land mafia besides purchasing MPs and MLAs of the Congress and other parties.

Mr Gandhi started his speech by asking straight questions to the public. “Why did you dream of Telangana state? Have your dreams been realised now? I am deeply pained to know that none of your dreams have come true after three years. The family rule of TRS government has failed to deliver on all fronts. They dashed the hopes of farmers, students, unemployed youth, women etc.

“All these sections remained in the forefront in the Telangana agitation, especially youth and unemployed, who sacrificed their lives for the cause. Soniaji understood the pain and sufferings of Telangana people and their strong desire and dream of Telangana state. Realising this, Congress gave Telangana state.

“You believed that a TRS government would turn all your dreams into reality. But nothing has been done in these three years. I don't say that all your dreams should be fulfilled in three years. I know it requires time. But my question is whether the TRS government has made a good beginning? Whether it has put the new state on the right track? Unfortunately not. That is where the problem lies,” he said.