Suryapet: BJP workers pelt stones at police in Gurrampode thanda

Decades ago, land in survey no 540 was allocated for the displaced tribals of Nagarjuna Sagar Project as part of Relief and Rehabilitation package

Suryapet: Tension prevailed at the controversial land parcel in survey no 540 at Gurrampode Thanda of Mattampally mandal in the district on Sunday when police resorted to lathi-charge against BJP workers when they destroyed the sheds in the land.

About 20 minutes before the arrival of BJP leaders including State president Bandi Sanjay, MLAs Raja Singh and Raghunandhan Rao and Vijayashanthi, enraged BJP members broke down the fence around the 412 acre in survey no 540, which was in possession of a Ravinder Reddy from Rayalaseema. They also damaged a water tank located in the land. To disperse the BJP members, police resorted to lathi charge against them. Reacting to it, the BJP workers pelted stones at the police. It took about 30 minutes for the police to bring the situation under control.

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The land totalling 1,870 acres in survey no 540 at Gurrampode Thanda has become a focal political point in the district as leaders of ruling and opposition parties have been indulging in allegations and counter-allegations pertaining to the land.

Decades ago, land in survey no 540 was allocated for the displaced tribals of Nagarjuna Sagar Project as part of Relief and Rehabilitation package. Since the place is located near a forest and away from residential areas, some tribals were not interested in relocating to the place even though D-pattas were issued to them by the government. Taking advantage of the situation, some persons illegally registered 400 acres of land on their names with the help of political leaders and officials. The land changed hands about 10 times under the Congress rule in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

Ravinder Reddy put up a fence around 400 acres of land in survey no 540 and constructed sheds. Huzurnagar MLA Shanampudi Saidi Reddy and Nalgonda MP  and TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy brought this to the notice of District Collector T Vijay Krishna Reddy. After inquiry, the officials took back 120 acres of encroached land in survey no 540 and initiated measures to re-allocate them to the oustees of NSP.

On Sunday, the BJP called for “Girijana Barosa yatra” and several BJP leaders came to Gurrampode Thanda to attend a public meeting planned there.

In view of the development, a large number of police personnel were deployed at the place as a precautionary measure.

Vacate tribal lands, Sanjay warns grabbers

BJP State president Bandi Sanjay said that ‘Kar Seva’ had begun in Telangana State with the ‘Girijan Bharosa Yatra’ to Gurrampode Thanda in Suryapet district on Sunday. He warned the encroachers of land in survey no 540 to vacate it immediately.

Speaking at a meeting held at Gurrampode Thanda, Sanjay said that the party’s kar seva would also continue in other places in the State to expose corruption and land encroachment allegedly indulged in by ruling party MLAs. “BJP will not only work for votes and seats, but also for protection of people’s interests,” he said.

Stating that leaders of several political parties have been visiting the land parcel in survey no. 540, but lacked the sincerity to do justice to the tribals, he alleged that the police were trying to protect the sheds in the land encroached by some persons, and this was unfortunate.

Urging Chief Minister K Chandrashakher Rao to clarify the government’s stand on podu lands and the controversial land in survey no 540, where the public meeting of Chief Minister has been planned in Haliya on February 10. Coming down heavily on Congress leaders, he said TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy was behaving like the driver of the TRS ‘Car.’ Car is the TRS party’s symbol.

BJP MLA Raghunadhan Rao said the Chief Minister, who promised to give three acre of land to tribals, was instead using the police force to lathi-charge tribals who want their lands liberated from the clutches of land-grabbers.

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