Raja used state machinery to procure land of villagers

C Shivakumar

Perambalur:

The state machinery was used to procure the land in Naranamangalam Village in Perambalur district after villagers allegedly spurned the offer of former Union telecom minister A Raja to give their land for a MRF project, according to a signed petition by the villagers.



Villagers told Express after they refused the district administration to acquire the land in 2007, they were summoned by then Union Telecom Minister A Raja immediately who urged them to sell their land to MRF and said the new plant will provide jobs for them besides they could get a good price from the company.



But villagers refused to heed to his demand and said the land is all they have got to support their livelihood. Following this Raja allegedly threatened them that he will get the land with the help of the state machinery and they will be paid only the sum that the government will decide.



And then the ordeal for villagers began as Green House Promoters, owned by Raja’s aide and family members, entered into the scene. Police vehicles began plying into the villages as the villagers were picked up and taken to the Superintendent of Police office or the district collector’s office and were asked to transfer the title deed to Green House Promoters. A few of them were even arrested by using the SC/ST act and then were released abruptly for lack of evidence once the title deed was transferred to Green House Promoters. What is more, even the women were intimidated by the authorities to sign documents following the non-availability of their men-folk in the country.



When Express contacted district collector M Vijay Kumar, he said there might have been some instances where force may have been used. “I am ordering an enquiry into this and action against the erring officials as well as the real estate officials will be taken,” he added.



However, he ruled out that land would be handed back to villagers. “This is a good project for the district which is dry and backward. More than 435 acres of land has been procured for the MRF for starting Greenfield Unit for Passenger and Truck Radials in Tamil Nadu besides another 150 acres for Trial track. The production is expected to take place in April or May next year,” he added.



He also questioned the reason for raising the three-year-old issue was being raised now. “Why haven’t they registered a complaint then. Now I think they want more compensation for their land,” he added. But the villagers shot back, “Do you think the district administration will take our complaint and take immediate action when they themselves are hunting us down and forcing us to give up our land,” they alleged.



The villagers on Monday also faxed in a signed petition to the prime minister and the National Human Rights Commission to intervene in the matter immediately and take immediate action against Raja, Batcha, then district collector Anil Meshram, then superintendent of police Prem Anand Sinha and other officials