Jagan Mohan Reddy assures legal aid to farmers in 600-acre Lanka lands row
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on 30 September 2026 met farmers from Lankapalli village in Pamidimukkala mandal of Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, who are embroiled in a dispute over nearly 600 acres of 'Lanka lands' — river island agricultural land. After hearing their grievances at the party's Central Office in Tadepalli, Jagan assured the farmers that YSRCP would provide full legal assistance and stand by them until their rights are protected.
What the Farmers Alleged
The farmers told Jagan that their families had been cultivating the Lanka lands since 1952, but their land rights are currently being disregarded. They alleged that local Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders and revenue officials had issued pattadar passbooks — official land title documents — in the names of TDP leaders and their purported benamis. The farmers specifically named Pamidimukkala Tahsildar K. Naveen Kumar as allegedly overseeing the process. They urged YSRCP to press for a comprehensive independent inquiry into the matter.
YSRCP's Counter-Allegations Against TDP
Speaking to the media after the meeting, former MLA and YSRCP leader Kaile Anil Kumar alleged that TDP leaders in Pamarru are attempting to seize nearly 350 acres of SC Society Lanka lands through resurvey operations, forged documents, and pattadar passbooks issued in names absent from original revenue records. He specifically named local leader Ganta Suresh and MLA Varla Kumar Raja as allegedly backing the transfers.
Anil further claimed that out of approximately 1,200 acres in Pamarru, genuine farmers cultivate around 250 acres, while the disputed 350 acres are reportedly being transferred to others. Additionally, he said 600 acres of SC Society land is being classified as government land, with about 100 acres of that proposed for sand excavation. He warned that assets worth nearly ₹300 crore — spanning land, sand, and soil dealings — are being targeted in what he described as a systematic resource grab.
YSRCP's Legal Threat
Anil Kumar stated that YSRCP would approach the courts seeking cancellation of the allegedly illegal pattadar passbooks and would push for a judicial inquiry into the entire episode. The party has demanded immediate government action to halt the transfers and protect the rights of long-standing cultivators, particularly those from Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.
Background and Context
Lanka lands, or river island lands, are fertile tracts along riverbanks that are traditionally cultivated by farming communities, often without formal title documentation, making them vulnerable to disputes during resurvey or administrative changes. Disputes over such lands are a recurring flashpoint in Andhra Pradesh, frequently drawing political interest from both ruling and opposition parties. This episode comes amid ongoing political rivalry between YSRCP and the ruling TDP in the state, with land administration and revenue records becoming a contested arena. The allegations, if proven, would involve violations of laws protecting SC community land rights — adding a constitutional dimension to the dispute. Neither the state government nor the named TDP leaders had issued an official response as of the time of reporting.