Burden of Encroachment Lies With Corrupt Officials: Etala

 Hyderabad: BJP MP Etala Rajendar on Sunday said the A. Revanth Reddy-led state government must gear up for a lengthy legal fight if the HYDRAA continues to demolish houses of the poor and the middle-class without giving adequate notice periods.

Since its inception earlier this year, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has pulled down 166 structures so far that were guilty of encroachment. Rajendar has faulted these actions for "jeopardising" the lives of the poor.

“Khabardar (careful), Revanth! You have been acting like the first Chief Minister of the state (K. Chandrashekar Rao). Instead of punishing those officials responsible for the illegal constructions, the government is punishing the poor. The drama enacted in the name of HYDRAA, is not in the interest of society,” Etala said at a press conference.

The Parliamentarian from Malkajgiri said Revanth Reddy does not have respect for the country's judiciary.

"The government is conducting the demolition drive in a duplicitous manner on holidays knowing courts do not work on those days. BJP corporator Srinivas Reddy’s father purchased land and registered it in 1980 in Gaganpahad. Without serving notices, the government carried out demolition of the sheds there," Etala said.

"The government has constructed the collector office in Karimnagar and the mandal parishad development office of Kamalapur in pond areas," he claimed, wanting to know if these structures would be razed.

"The leaders of BRS have carried out indiscriminate looting of the state. Revanth Reddy had promised to dump all those who looted the state in the Bay of Bengal. Are you not getting enough evidence to punish them?" he asked.