Eight Left Activists Killed In Police Firing In Andhra
Dated: 28.07.07
Friends,
Students’ Federation of India strongly condemns the killing of eight persons in police firing in Mudigonda, near Khammam in Andhra Pradesh. The dead included a student and a woman. The police resorted to brutal firing on people participating in a peaceful RASTA ROKO as part of the bandh to protest police repression and the refusal of the government to concede their genuine demands. The CPI(M), CPI and 195 mass organisations have been conducting a peaceful movement for house sites and land for the poor, since May 2, 2007. The struggle entered a new phase on July 22 with the indefinite hunger strike launched by leaders of the CPI(M) and CPI. Instead of discussing and settling the issues, the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh resorted to brutal attacks against the people. Hundreds of people were seriously injured in police lathicharges in different parts of the state and thousands were sent to jail. Leaders including B.V. Raghavulu, Member of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau, P Madhu, Member of the CPI(M) Central Committee and K Narayana, Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh State Council of the CPI who were on indefinite hunger strike were forcibly arrested at midnight on Friday. The genuine demands of the people for house sites and land cannot be suppressed by such brutal display of force. The SFI urges upon the government of Andhra Pradesh to immediately concede all genuine demands. The SFI also demands firm action against the police officers responsible for the firing and payment of adequate compensation to those killed.
For the last three months poor peasants, landless agricultural workers, homeless urban poor people are waging a struggle in Andhra Pradesh demanding the state government to implement the 9/77 act which guarantees land assignment to the poor. Instead of taking steps to implement this act government brought an amendment which nullifies the spirit of the Land Assignment Act, 1977 and paves way to legalise all illegal occupations by the land mafia and influential classes in the state. This act only meant for legalising the illegal occupations of assigned land, snatching away the assigned land from the hands of poor and to reallocate the same to the influential sections of the society. At the same time lakhs of people are waiting in queue for almost one decade to get their piece of land to construct their homes. Government's only refrain is that there is no such vacant land which could be given to common masses for such purpose. At the same time the committee appointed by state government under the chairmanship of Koneru Rangarao, Cabinet Minister, found huge tracts of land ( more than 60 lakh acres) available with the government right now with which state as on date. Fearing worst consequences, the government has refused to make Koneru Rangarao Committee Report public. It is not even ready to table the report on the floor of state assembly.
In this background a ground swelling movement is going on demanding the state government to implement the recommendations of Koneru Rangarao Committee. 195 grassroot organisations including NGOs cutting across political and ideological affiliations have joined hands in support of this demand. Of late major political parties in the state have also extended their solidarity. The ongoing struggle reached its peak with the Hunger fast movement where the leaders of CPI(M) and CPI sitting on fast. Thousands of hunger fast tents have already been erected in the state where laks of common people are sitting on hunger strike in support of demands. Instead of agreeing to the genuine demands of the vast sections of people, state government has sought to repress the movement. More than three thousand cases were registered against the leaders of the movement. Thousands were sent to jail with non bailable warrants. Severe lathi charge has become a daily phenomenon where thousands are bearing the brunt of police. There is a en-mass moral support to this movement including those of upper middle class who could not find land to build their homes.
The Police in Andhra Pradesh let loose terror on Thursday against the poor agitating for house sites. Thousands and thousands of poor people, including a large number of women, picketed the district collectarates on Thursday throughout the state at the call given by the CPI(M) and CPI. Police resorted to severe lathi charge and used teargas shells, water cannons, mounted police in almost all district headquarters and arrested the agitators and the leaders of CPI(M) and CPI. In the state capital Hyderabad, the police action reminded the day when three people were killed by the police bullets seven years ago, when they were agitating against the hike in power tariff by the then TDP government. Yesterday, when poor people picketed Hyderabad district collectorate, the police used all sorts of force except firing. Many people received serious blood injuries and were to be taken to Osmania general hospital for treatment. The situation was same in almost all the district headquarters. Many women received blows from the police in their abdomen. Many of them got fainted due to the lathi blows. In solidarity with the huger-fast comrades and protesting against the police atrocities people observed State Bandh today, 28th July in which the police fired on the peaceful protesters in which 8 left activists were killed. SFI appeals to the student community to unite against the police firing on poor people and left activists and come out in support of the just demands of the people of the state.
- an SFI release
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