KTR accuses Revanth Reddy govt of misusing 22(A) land list

BRS working president K T Rama Rao accused the Revanth Reddy government of misusing Section 22(A) to facilitate land grabbing and alleged a parallel revenue network. He demanded answers over private lands on the prohibited list and vowed to fight affected landowners

Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of running a “criminal real estate enterprise” by misusing the Section 22(A) prohibited land list. The party alleged that unprecedented land grabbing was taking place under the Congress government, with those entrusted with protecting land allegedly turning into encroachers.

Speaking at a meeting with victims of the 22(A) prohibited land list in the Bhu Bharati portal on Friday, BRS working president K T Rama Rao said the issue was turning out to be the biggest scam and that the party would soon bring the alleged atrocities of the Revanth Reddy government to the notice of Congress Lok Sabha Leader Rahul Gandhi.

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Rama Rao said a parallel revenue administration was functioning alongside the official system to benefit the kith and kin of the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy. He alleged that files were being moved through an opaque network, with property owners being blackmailed for a 30 per cent commission to have their properties removed from the prohibited list.

He blamed the Congress government for the downturn in Telangana’s real estate sector, saying the confidence built in land as a safe investment during the previous BRS regime was being eroded. He alleged that around 1.16 crore acres had been placed on the prohibited list and that owners refusing to sell their lands were being targeted through Section 22(A).

Taking a swipe at Revanth Reddy, the BRS working president said making him Chief Minister was like making forest brigand Veerappan the Forest Minister. He alleged that Revanth Reddy had earlier used RTI to blackmail people.

“Now that the blackmailer became the Chief Minister, he is misusing the entire government machinery for his real estate deals,” he added.

Rama Rao also targeted Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, alleging that he was hand-in-glove with the Chief Minister in land grabbing. He said the duo were running a joint-venture partnership and striking real estate deals with foreign companies by promising land at cheaper prices, only to forcibly take land from property owners in Hyderabad by misusing their power. He accused the government’s leadership of turning land administration into a percentage-driven enterprise.

The former minister opined that the launch of the Bhu Bharati portal was premeditated to grab land from people and benefit the family members of Revanth Reddy and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy.

“Being a former IT and Industries Minister, I have considerable reach. I will write to the foreign companies and investors striking deals with the families of the Chief Minister and the Revenue Minister, to remain cautious and explain their crimes here,” he asserted.

Stating that every project initiated by the Revanth Reddy government had a real estate motive behind it, he cited alleged land dealings around Hyderabad, Lagacharla, the Musi Riverfront Development project, Future City and Kongara Kalan.

“There is a scam behind every scheme initiated by Revanth Reddy. These projects are only meant to mint money for them, while welfare and development schemes take a backseat,” he remarked.

He questioned the Congress government over the inclusion of private lands in the prohibited list and demanded answers from the government on the allegations. He said people had never faced such hardships during the previous BRS regime.

He asserted that the BRS would return to power in two years and vowed to fight for those affected by the Section 22(A) restrictions.