Gangalakunta, Anantapur district:

Barely a few paces into my Padayatra, a middle-aged man met me. As much as he wanted to shake hands with me, he couldn’t “Anna.. I want to shake hands with you, but can’t because I have no hands,” he said as tears welled up his eyes. I was moved by his plight and put my hand around him. His name was Narasimha Reddy. He lost his hands due to an electric shock in August this year while working as an out-sourced shift operator in Marutla electrical sub-station. He can no longer work. His medical treatment cost Rs 6 lakh and the Government left him to his fate as he was just an out-sourced employee. Today, he is literally on the streets with no one to take care of him. When a government employee hurt on duty is denied medical aid, is this not shameful neglect on the part of the state?

As I continued walking, thinking of Narasimha Reddy, the contract employees of the electricity department invited me to their protest camp site. They told me that their pay is a pittance and that there’s no job security for them. The Government appoints a token committee to buy time whenever the contract employees protest. This is just eyewash. Soon after I spelt out my policy for improving the conditions of RTC contract employees, Chandrababu Naidu moved with alacrity, not to solve their problems but ironically to constitute a committee. These committees never come up with proposals and even if they do, the Government promptly trashes them.

At Prasannayapalle, Vijaybhaskar Reddy met me. He told me that the government wants to take away the 90 acres of assigned lands cultivated by over 100 farmers in Rapthadu, Prasannayapalle and Ayyavaripalle villages. Pattas were given to them way back in the 1960s, but today, land sharks from the ruling party are eyeing those lands. The notices issued did not care to explain the purpose for which the land was being acquired. Nor is there a mention of paying compensation. Whenever I hear such things, I ask myself if Chandrababu Naidu has come to power only to torment the poor.

As I resumed my yatra in the afternoon, 70-year-old Veeravva met me and complained that she hasn’t been getting her quota of rice for the past one year. The authorities said her fingerprints were not clear enough. Despite many pleas and petitions, the officials remained unmoved. How can they be so heartless to even such old and hapless people?

Finally, my poser to the Chief Minister!! During my late father’s rule, the government had distributed land not once but seven times. About 33 lakh acres of land were given to the landless. Can your government claim the same about a cent of land? Is it justified to snatch away the lands given in the past without even bothering to pay minimum compensation?