A day after the Telangana Assembly passed a controversial bill amending the Centre’s Land Acquisition Act, 2013, named “Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Telangana Amendment) Bill, 2016” with a voice vote, Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) Chairman Prof M Kodandaram today went on fast at his home in Taranaka, demanding repeal of this bill.

Originally he announced TJAC Dharna programme protesting against the land acquisition bill at Indira Park, which is known as Dharna Chowk. However, as he was denied permission to stage a dharna there, it postponed. But he went on a fast at his house.

Expressing severe displeasure at the government over the way permission was denied for the proposed dharna, Kodandaram said they would hold the dharna at the same place very soon with the participation of people displaced on account of construction of irrigation projects.

Meanwhile, terming the assembly bill as against to the spirit of the constitution, Prof Kodandaram wondered how a state assembly can pass a bill amending an act enacted by the Parliament. As per this act, he said that state governments have powers to made amendments to the issues of compensation and rehabilitation, but have no right to ament other parts of the bill.

Moreover, he said that if a state assembly passes a bill on a issue in the concurrent list, only centre’s act will be valid. He accused that the government brought a bill in the assembly after its GO was struck down by the High Court.

Tealngana Pradesh Congress President M Uttama Kumar Reddy and Leader of Opposition K Jana Reddy visited his house and expressed their solidarity to his fast. Accusing that the government has been making unmilitary move without taking into consideration of the opposition’s view and displaced farmers agonies, they warned that they would fight against this bill by mobilising farmers and other sections of the society.