CPI secretary Ramakrishna arrested

RAJAHMUNDRY: Eluru police arrested Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary K. Ramakrishna, party district president D. Prabhakara Rao and others on Sunday, while they were going to Bhimolu village of Gopalapuram mandal in West Godavari district to occupy lands of some of the farmers.

The police made house arrests of the CPI leaders Nekkanti Subba Rao, Bandi Venkateswara Rao, Kannababu and others in various places. The party leaders alleged that police made arrests of the party workers under the various police station limits such as Eluru, Kukkunuru, Jangareddygudem, Koyyalagudem, Guddigudem, Velerupadu, Buttayigudem, Nidadavolu, Gopalapuram, and Kovvuru.  According to CPI leaders, 386 acres of land in the village has been given to government by the land owners in the year 1975. The land has been distributed to 150 farmers.

Later, the land owners approached the Supreme Court and got the order that the lands belong to them. CPI state secretary K. Ramakrishna said that in 1988, the then the CPI legislators Vanga Satyanarayana and Desina China Mallayya raised the issue in Assembly and subsequently a legislative committee was formed.

Though the committee has given report in favour of poor, local revenue officials created hurdles in implementing it.

Mr Ramakrishna said that the party with the support of other leftist parties would intensify the agitation until the lands would be distributed to the poor. The police said that Section 144 is in force in the district and no processions, rallies, public meetings will not be allowed.