PK softens stand against TDP

Hyderabad: Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, who on Thursday had threatened to go on a fast if the state government tried to "forcibly" acquire land, appeared to be retreating. At a press conference on Friday, Pawan Kalyan asserted that he does not want to embarrass the TDP government in Andhra Pradesh. “I am not doing any nefarious politics and my intention was also not to embarrass anybody”. Stating that he was just trying to remind responsibilities of the government, Pawan Kalyan said elders have not implemented their promises.

He too was wary about future generations, the JSP chief said. Stating that he was not against development, Pawan said all that he wanted was that the interests of farmers and farm labourers be protected while implementing the dream project of a world class capital city. Pawan said there must be a social impact assessment when lands are acquired.

"We must know what impact it will have on the lives of landless labourers," he said, indirectly commenting on the new Bill on land acquisition that is to come up in Parliament next week. The self-anointed social voice said instead of putting a blanket ban on farming activities in the entire Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) region it would be better if it bans farming in a phased manner.

He said since the government would construct the capital in a phased manner, it should allow the agricultural activity in the areas where no construction would begin immediately, he added. The JSP chief said that if 95 per cent of the farmers had given their land voluntarily he has no problem but at the same time the government cannot ignore the interest of the remaining 5 per cent. It should constitute a committee and see that justice was done to the remaining 5 per cent as well.

"If you are planning a secretariat, then don't stop farming in other places,” he said. Noting that some of the villages in the region are not ready to be part of the land pooling, he said those villages should be excluded from the project, if possible. Replying to a question on special status, the actor-turned-politician said that BJP has so far not stood by its word on giving special category status to Andhra Pradesh. He called upon MPs from the State to fight on the issue.

“If the Centre goes back on its word, how would people, who trusted you, react? Then how would you expand BJP in AP? They (BJP) should know that," he said. Noting that even a few MPs used to fight for separate Telangana, Pawan Kalyan said MPs of both TDP and YSR Congress need to raise their voice now in support of the demand for special status to AP. When asked about comments that there could be "match-fixing" between himself and TDP, he shot back, "What is the advantage I get?”