Hyderabad: BRS leader T. Harish Rao intensified his attack on the Congress government over the 22A land dispute, accusing it of troubling ordinary property owners while disposing of valuable government assets.
Harish Rao made the allegations while addressing a meeting of people affected by the inclusion of their properties in the prohibited list. The meeting was held in Kukatpally, Hyderabad.
He alleged that the Congress government had been selling land wherever it found valuable government property. According to Harish Rao, the government had disposed of land worth Rs 30,000 crore during the past two-and-a-half years.
He further alleged that the government acquired land from people and handed it to its associates. Now, he claimed, privately held properties were also being placed under Section 22A, causing difficulties for owners.
22A land dispute linked to ULC issue
Harish Rao alleged that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy were using the Urban Land Ceiling issue against property owners. He described the move as a major conspiracy and claimed it violated a Supreme Court judgment.
Harish Rao said the ULC law had been repealed in 2008 when Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was Chief Minister. Subsequently, he said, governments granted permissions and people purchased plots and constructed houses.
However, Harish Rao alleged that the present government was now treating properties differently because they had fallen under ULC before 2008. He claimed such properties were being placed on the prohibited list, creating problems for existing owners.
The BRS leader demanded that the government stop troubling people who had purchased properties and constructed houses after receiving permissions. Harish Rao also targeted Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy over remarks the minister had previously made about dropping political “bombs” on the opposition.
He said Ponguleti had instead dropped a “22A bomb” on the public. “Ponguleti, are these your bombs?” Harish Rao asked while criticising the Revenue Minister. He said Revanth Reddy and Ponguleti might understand real estate, but BRS leaders understood agitations and political struggles.
Harish Rao said the BRS knew how to fight on behalf of people and pressure the government when necessary. He maintained that the party would stand with property owners affected by the 22A land dispute.
Harish alleges government land disposal
Harish Rao also levelled allegations over the handling of government and institutional lands. He claimed Revanth Reddy had initially attempted to sell 400 acres belonging to HCU. After that attempt failed, Harish Rao alleged, the government used the land to raise Rs 10,000 crore through the Bombay Stock Exchange.
He further alleged that around 9,000 acres in Medchal and Rangareddy districts were used to raise another Rs 10,000 crore. Harish Rao accused the government of targeting public, college and university lands alongside properties belonging to ordinary citizens.
He also alleged that valuable government assets were being handed over to relatives of the Chief Minister. At the same time, ordinary people were being troubled by the inclusion of their properties in the prohibited list, he claimed.
The statements about land sales, borrowing and transfer of government assets were allegations made by Harish Rao. No government response to these specific allegations was included in the source material. The BRS leader said his party would continue opposing the government over the 22A land dispute and stand with affected property owners.