Harish Rao accuses Congress government of suppressing licensed surveyors

BRS leader T Harish Rao accused the Congress government of suppressing licensed surveyors protesting over livelihood issues and demanded immediate talks with them. He assured the surveyors of BRS support and promised to raise their concerns in the Assembly.

Hyderabad: BRSLP deputy leader and former Minister T Harish Rao on Wednesday accused the Congress government of insulting and suppressing 6,000 licensed surveyors protesting over their livelihood issues. He demanded that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy immediately hold talks with them and resolve their issues, failing which the BRS would take up a fight and raise the issue in the Assembly.

Addressing a meeting with licensed surveyors at Telangana Bhavan on Wednesday, Harish Rao criticised the alleged remarks of IAS officer Lokesh Kumar against surveyors, who he said were highly educated in civil engineering and related fields. He also alleged that Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy had attempted to assault surveyors who approached him with their grievances, calling it an indication of the government’s arrogance and repression.

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The BRS leader said surveyors who staged a protest for their rights were dragged away and detained in police stations and were not even provided food. He also objected to the alleged questioning of surveyors over approaching him and other BRS leaders.

“People approach the Opposition only when the government ignores their problems. That is the spirit of democracy,” he said, adding that the BRS would stand by people facing difficulties and raise their issues with the government.

Harish Rao questioned the functioning of the Chief Minister’s Office, alleging that efforts of Congress leader Chinna Reddy to take up the surveyors’ issues were ignored. He said the government should decide whether public grievances or the ego of the Chief Minister was more important.

He pointed to the alleged financial difficulties faced by licensed surveyors, who had no fixed salary, TA/DA or health insurance and had to bear survey expenses themselves. He said two surveyors died by suicide due to mounting debts and appealed to others not to take such extreme steps.

Harish Rao also criticised the government’s claim of providing 70,000 jobs, reminding that only 16,500 jobs had actually been provided and that the government was counting licences issued to surveyors as jobs. He questioned the silence of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyank Gandhi Vadra on the issues.

He assured the surveyors of BRS support and said their issues would be raised during the forthcoming Assembly session. He also promised party support for their protests across all districts and urged them to continue their agitation peacefully.