Hyderabad: Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said that there would be a forensic audit of land holdings that were falsely transferred after the previous BRS government brought in the Dharani portal. Speaking in the Assembly, he said the government was committed to taking action against the wrongdoings during the BRS regime. He cited the SIT probe into the ORR tendering process.
Srinivas Reddy, speaking in the Assembly during the debate on the Bhu Bharati Bill, said: “I request all the members to submit details of the land that were occupied. A decision on forming a SIT or ordering a sitting judge probe will be taken after a ministerial-level discussion.”
He said that the 1971 ROR Act had served the state well for 49 years. “It was changed to serve the interests of one family. I expected the leader of the opposition K. Chandrashekar Rao in the House to give his suggestions on the Bhu Bharathi Bill. He has insulted the House by not attending the session.”
Earlier as the din continued in the house with the BRS members seeking a discussion on the FIR filed against party leader K.T. Rama Rao, BJP floor leader A. Maheshwara Reddy hinted at a probable collusion between the BRS and the Congress citing failure to constitute a probe into the dharani lands issue. He reminded that the Congress leaders had themselves said 2.5 lakh acres had changed hands using Dharani.
“Of the 24 lakh assigned lands only five lakh acres are left now. Around 60 per cent of Wakf, temple and other lands have been occupied. A CBI inquiry should be ordered on the issue,” he said.
He said that the state should implement the Land Titling Act which guarantees the rights on land from the government side. The details of lands alienated should be given out. A mere name change would not suffice, he said.
Intervening in the debate, the revenue minister said that an SIT was being formed to probe the ORR issue. “Contracts cannot be cancelled without a probe. Some members are trying to mislead the people by uttering lies. Rao has plundered the state.”
CPI member Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao said “Our suggestions have been included in the Bhu Bharathi bill. The BRS lost power because of Dharani.”
Efforts should be made to take five villages among the seven mandals from Andhra Pradesh and solve the problems of the people there, he said adding that lands occupied by the poor should be regularised.
