The party has not yet firmed up its stand on the razing of structures by HYDRAA from the conflicting statements being issued by the leaders.
Published Aug 27, 2024 | 8:00 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 27, 2024 | 8:55 PM
Telangana BJP leaders
All seems to be not well with the Telangana BJP. Its leaders are speaking in different voices on the demolition drive undertaken by the Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA).
It is clear that the party has not yet firmed up its stand on the razing of structures on the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zones of lakes and nalas by HYDRAA from the conflicting statements being issued by the leaders.
HYDRAA’s actions have not only hurt the owners of the buildings but also have triggered a political slugfest between the ruling and the Opposition parties, carefully clothed to not oppose the drive but at the same time imputing motives to the ruling Congress government.
Lack of coordination among the leaders of the BJP is quite apparent in reacting to HYDRAA’s demolitions.
Even though the national leadership of the party organises meetings frequently, charging the cadres to step up agitation against the ruling Congress by taking up issues that pertain to the people, not much work is being seen at the ground level as there is no one to steer the party in the right direction.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has been doubling up as party president also and he appears to be unable to spend much time in coordinating party activities because of his other official preoccupations.
Apart from this, he has been appointed election in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir polls which makes it almost impossible for him to pay attention to party affairs in the state.
The demolition of buildings acquired a new dimension after HYDRAA’s articulated heavy-duty demolition vehicles razed actor Nagarjuna’s N Convention in Madhapur for encroaching into the FTL of Thummidkunta lake, situated next to the convention centre.
As soon as buildings began coming tumbling down, it was Medak MP N Raghunandan Rao who welcomed the drive, though he belongs to a party that is ideologically opposed to the Congress.
BJP leader Raghunandan Rao, reacting to the demolition, asked the Congress government to pull down the farmhouses of former chief minister K Chadrashekar Rao, his son KT Rama Rao and daughter Kavitha and that, if necessary, his party would support the Congress in this issue.
Raghunandan Rao also found fault with the high court judges for issuing a stay on the N Convention after it had been pulled down. “Why have you given stay? Is it against removing the rubble?” he asked.
He questioned if the court had given a stay in 2015 as was being claimed, and why it had not disposed of the case till now.
“Nagarjuna collected ₹1 crore per function at the function hall. Let the actor cough out the money and let it be distributed to the kin of those who were washed away in floods,” he said.
He said the government should arrest former minister KT Rama Rao for allowing such constructions in lake areas.
“I am fully supporting the demolition of buildings in tank areas. Let the BRS not politicise the issue if the demolition squad sets its sights on the BRS leaders saying that the raids are politically motivated. Regardless of who had constructed the buildings in lake areas, they should be brought down. It could be either minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy or former minister Ch Malla Reddy (BRS), Raghunandan Rao (himself) or BJP leader P Muralidhar Rao. If the buildings had come up in FTL areas, they have to go,” he said.
Chevella BJP MP Konda Visweswara Raddy too joined the chorus with Raghunandan Rao in welcoming the demolition drive.
“The government is doing a good job. It is good for the environment, and people and also it would restore encroached government land to its rightful owner. It is true that in the FTL area lakes, apartments, farmhouses, and sports arenas have come up. The BJP supports a good cause regardless of who takes it up.”
However, Malkajgiri BJP MP Eatala Rajender opposed the move of the Congress government in the demolition drive. He said though he has no objection if HYDRA pulls down the farmhouses of the millionaires, he was very much concerned about of demolition of the houses of the poor.
He said in many instances, the government itself had given pattas in lake areas and there were several lakes that the government itself had filled with earth.
He said the entire demolition drama appears to be a clever ploy to divert the attention of the people from its failure in dealing with the people’s problems.
“One should remember that it was the Congress that was in power for more than 30 years before the advent of the BRS government in 2014. Even the BRS regime, after making a show of demolition of unauthorised structures in Ayyappa society lands, suddenly stopped it for reasons not stated. He said his party would not keep quiet if the poor people’s houses were touched,” he said.
BJP floor leader in the state Legislative Assembly Alleti Maheshwar Reddy found himself on Eatala Rajender’s page in taking a stand on demolitions.
He dubbed the drive as the Congress’ diversionary tactic as it had failed to implement its promises. He asked HYDRAA whether it could pull down such illegal structures in Old City.
He said HYDRAA was acting very selectively, and if the government has guts, let it pull down AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi’s buildings which came up on a tank area.
He also wondered if the government could take action against the officials who issued permissions for such buildings. He also wanted a white paper published on the number of lakes and the extent of encroachments in the city. He asked whether the government would be able to reclaim lakhs of acres of land belonging to endowments and forest departments.
Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy questioned why this sudden action against the buildings in FTL areas saying Congress was in power for a long time before the BRS came to power.
“Your government had given clearances and provided roads, power and drinking water connections and now you are pulling those buildings down. The demolition drive should not be selective. Action should be against those who violated the law regardless of their stature and station,” he said.
There is no doubt that the dichotomy in the party’s approach to the demolition drive is creating confusion among the party ranks besides exposing the lack of coordination among the leaders.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
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