KCR Govt Betrayed Adivasis In Telangana By First Announcing To Transfer Podu Land Deeds: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi said, "The KCR govt has betrayed our people by first announcing to transfer Podu land title deeds to deserving Adivasis, and then backtracking soon after."

Chennai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday came down heavily against the state force and KCR-led government for their alleged brutal crackdown on Adivasis in Telangana for trying to protect their land. Rahul Gandhi voiced out for the issue two days after a violent confrontation took place between Adivasi farmers and Forest Department officials over the ownership of the forest land in the state.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi shared a video of a woman being dragged on the ground by the police and then detained for resisting the forest department from removing their huts on the disputed land. Sharing the video of the alleged crackdown by police against Adivasi woman, Rahul Gandhi said, "The brutal crackdown of state force on Adivasis in Telangana, especially women, who are struggling to protect their land rights is deplorable." 

"Telangana was formed to fulfill the collective aspirations of crores of people in the state- protection of Adivasi rights being a quintessential part of it," he said. 

Further, Rahul Gandhi said, "Misusing police force today to crack down on the Adivasi voice is an affront to this dream. The KCR govt has betrayed our people by first announcing to transfer Podu land title deeds to deserving Adivasis, and then backtracking soon after."

"In their fight to protect 'Jal-Jungle-Zameen', we stand with our Adivasi sisters and brothers," he said. 

The statement of Rahul Gandhi comes after the tense situation that prevailed on Thursday after forest department personnel allegedly tried to destroy huts of the farmers set up on disputed land in Koyaposhagudem of Dandepally mandal. When the farmers opposed the move, they were reportedly dragged and detained.

Following this, Tudum Debba, a Adivasi organisation, has called for a band on July 11.

What is Podu issue? 

Over the years, Adivasi farmers in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have been doing a form of shift cultivation known as Podu farming. However, the controversy started due to the ownership of the land between the Forest Department and Adivasis.