NON-GIRIJAN LANDLORDS LAUNCH COUNTER-ATTACK

From a Ravindra Seshu

The Hindu. Oct 4, 1997.

BHADRACHALAM, Oct 3:

The non-Girijan landlords of Khammam district worked out a comprehensive strategy to thwart the Girijjans and to pre-empt any move made by the Search for Action and Knowledge for Tribal Initiatives (SAKTI.

At a really of non-Girijan ryots of the agency area at Bhadrachalam on September 20, they said they would forge alliances with all like minded groups along non-party lines

A state-level committee to protect the rights of non-Girijan farmers was formed under the leadership of Pakala Pati Venkateswara Rao, a landlord from Pinapaka mandal.

The Organizers decided to extend the movement to all agency areas. In support of their main demand to waive the 1/1970 regulation act, they decided to intensify lobbying among all major political parties. Including the ruling Telugu Desam (TD).

They had already mustered enough support from the TD, Communist party of India (CPI) and the Congress for the abolition of 1/1970 regulation.

Leaders from the TD, CPI and Congress attended the really at Bhadrachalam with their supporters CPI MLA P Nageswar Rao , CPI MP Chode Ramaiah, district secretary of CPI TV Choudary TD MLA Koneru Nageswara Rao, District Co-operative Central Bank chairman balasani Laxmi Narayana, and noted congress leaders P Madhava Rao and RV Ramana.

As per the 1/1970 regulation act, non-Girijans are prohibited from purchasing land or immovable property from Girijans. Even patta lands allocated to non-tribal before 1970 can be transferred or sold only to Tribals.

In the agency area of Khammam district, 1,88,147 hectares of land out of the total 3,08,641 hectares of cultivated land is controlled by non-tribal farmers. After the 1/1970 regulation, farmers from coastal areas bought lands is agency areas.

Under the influence of Sakti, the Girijans of jeeelugumilli of West Godavari started their struggle for land and forced the non-Girijan landlords to retreat. The jeelugumilli struggle alerted the non-Girijan landlords of Khammam district.

The non-Girijan landlords demanded that the 1/1970 act be replaced by the 1/59 act. Under the act, non-Girijan can purchase lands another immovable property from Girijan with the permission and approval of the Government.

Rift in left parties

The CPI and CPM have taken opposite stands on the 1/1970 regulation. The CPI joined hands with the TD and the Congress and demanded that the /1970 regulation be amended.

The CPI said the problem should be solved without harming tribal interests. Eh party said the strict implementation of 1/1970 act would cause the gulf between the Girijans and non-Girijans to widen leading to social tension.

The CPM, on the other hand, demanded the implementation of the 1/1970 act in toto. Members of the CM made special efforts to spread awareness among the Tribals about the 1/1970 act.

In Bhadrachalam constituency, the party candidate Kunja Bujji won by 40,000 votes in the last assembly election. The CPM also strictly adhered to agricultural labourer's wages.

To corner the CPM on the 1/1970 act and the issue of the wages of agricultural labourers, the Td, CPI an Congress mobilize a large numbers of Tribals for the Bhadrachalam rally, to show that Tribals also favored the amendment of the 1/1970 regulation.

Resentment among Tribals

The efforts made by non-tribal landlords with help from the TD, CPI an Congress has caused great deal of anxiety among the Girijans, particularly the youth.

On September 21, Girijan youth burned effigies of Chode Ramaiah (CPI) and CPI MLA o. Abbaiah, at Bhadrahlam. The Girijan Association accused the Tribals of supporting the repeal of the 1/1970 regulation.

The Girijan Association in Bhadrachalam said Ramaiah and Abbaiah have been expelled from their caste.

Non-tribal landlords are worried over the attitude of the tribal youth.

If the Government fails to take a firm stand on the issue, the agency areas of Khammam district would be in the grip of social tensions.

CPI'S Pledge to Restore Harmony in Agency Areas

By Our Staff Reporter

The Hindu July 21, 1998 .

Bhadrachalam, July 20 :

The CPI Khammam district unit has pledged itself to the immediate task of restoring social harmony between the tribal non-tribal and non-tribal sections, who are divided in the Scheduled Area villages because of land related issues.

The 15 th triennial conference of the party, which concluded here late last night, sought to review the organization's strength of lusture of yesteryear by pursuing the line if action, which ensures a fair deal to both sides.

The party attributed its growth on terms of votes as well as the cadre strength, which was perceivable more in the parliamentary constituency of Bhadrachalam and a few other pockets in the district, to its "genuine" stand on other Regulation 1/70, and reiterated its demand for its amendment.

It sounded caution to be organizations which had deliberately been fomenting trouble in the tribal area by instigating one section against the other by cashing in on the issue.

The leaders who spoke at length made it clear that those demanding amendment to the regulation 1/70 were not anti-tribal. They only seek to safeguard the interest of non-tribal farmers with small and -holdings.

They took exception to dubbing the CPI anti-tribal on this count. They said they would never come in the way of taking over the land occupied illegally by big landlords.

The outgoing secretary. Mr. T. V. Choudary, in his 96-page report presented at the conference said that the party had mobilized both tribals and non-tribals in a big way to press for amending the regulation.

The party had organized a public meeting jointly with the TDP and Congress(1) leaders in Bhadrachalam on the scheduled area land problem on September 20 last year . It was unbecoming of parties like the CPI(M) and the Tudumdebba to brand it is a meeting of landlords. The party had squarely blamed the CPI(M) for the confrontation between tribals and non-tribes on the scheduled area land issue.

Mr. Dasari Nagabhushan Rao and Mr. suravararam Sudhakar Reddy, who attended the delegates session of the conference, said that the CPI had submitted its report to the Chief Minister on scheduled area regulation issue last year. The government was processing the proposals for a positive solution to the problem.

The regulation did not benefit the tribals as their lands fetched lower rates in the market because of the regulation.

Mr. Puvvada Nageshwara Rao said that the CPI had emerged stronger in the Bhadrachalam constituency because of its support to the cause of both tribes and non-tribes.

The CPI candidate, Mr. Sode Ramaiah, had won the Bradrachalam Lok Sabha seat in the last election because of the overwhelming support enjoyed by the party from both tribals and non-tribals. Despite the suspension of the Burgumpadu MLA, Mr. Kunja Biksham, for his anti-party activities, the CPI could further strengthen its support base in the segment.

The conference adopted altogether 48 resolutions seeking among other things completion of the Godavari flood bank to save the low-lying areas in the temple town from inundation. Sanction of coal linkage for the proposed Manuguru super thermal power station. Construction of the Bhadrachalam- Kovvur rail line, establishment of a beedi manufacturing unit in the district and revival of A.P steels and Barium Chemicals.

Puvvada's man as secretary

Mr. Siddbhi Venkateswarlu, senior member of the party district council and close follower of Mr.Puvvada Nageswara Rao, was elected district secretary. The election witnessed a keen contest between Mr. Venkateswarlu and a youth leader from Kothagudem. Mr. Konamneni Sambhasiva Rao.

The efforts made by senior leaders for the past two days did not help in avoiding the contest. Mr. Venkateswarlu, who polled 51 votes, defeated Mr. Sambhasiva Rao by just three votes. Mr. T. V. Choudary, who served the district unit as secretary from 1982 to 1998, opted out of the contest.