CPI(M) Warns of Protest Over Google Data Centre Land Issue

Tension gripped the city on Friday after CPI(M) leaders and activists staged a protest over the alleged detention of party members who were heading to Tarluvada village to meet farmers affected by the proposed Google Data Centre project in Anandapuram mandal.

The protest quickly escalated as party workers raised slogans against the police and accused the government of trying to silence voices questioning the land acquisition process. CPI(M) leaders said their members were only attempting to meet farmers, hear their concerns, and assess the ground reality.

Senior leader K. Lokanadham and former corporator B. Ganga Rao strongly condemned the detentions, alleging that the administration was avoiding accountability instead of addressing the grievances of displaced families. They claimed the police action reflected fear of public scrutiny over the project.

In a major warning, CPI(M) leaders announced that the party would resist the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Google Data Centre, scheduled for April 28, if pending issues were not resolved immediately.

They demanded fair compensation, house sites, and justice for landowners, assigned landholders, and cultivators who had surrendered land in Tarluvada for the project. According to the leaders, promises made during land acquisition must be fulfilled before any further steps are taken.

The party also demanded a white paper on land allotments made for major projects, alleging a lack of transparency in the allocation process. CPI(M) urged the government to begin talks with affected families and settle their concerns before moving ahead with the prestigious project.