VIJAYAWADA: Welcoming the High Court verdict in the Sadavarti temple lands case, Endowments Minister P Manikyala Rao said that the government has expressed its willingness to hand over the lands to those offering more than `22 crore (auctioned amount). Speaking to media persons after the High Court direction, he alleged that Opposition YSRC made it an issue notwithstanding facts. At least now, they should come forward and take the lands by offering more money.
IT Minister Nara Lokesh also welcomed the High Court directions regarding Sadavarti lands. During an interaction with media persons, he asked YSRC leaders to follow the High Court directions and take the land by paying the money in the specified time. He said, this time YSRC should refrain from searching for excuses to delay the process. Big blow to govt, says OppnMeanwhile, YSRC MLA A Ramakrishna Reddy has said that it is a big blow to the Chandrababu Naidu government as it has schemed to give away costly lands at throwaway prices to its coterie.
Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, he said that he would abide by the court ruling to pay additional `5 crore and possess the lands. He sought that the TDP should forthwith try to help Brahmin boys learn Vedic hymns and also help in the regular rituals of small temples with the amount collected. TDP government has sold land worth `6 to `7 crores per acre in Chennai at a throwaway price of `22 lakh per acre and it was awarded to his coterie. The issue was raised at various levels and when there was no proper response, it was taken to court.
“We told the court that temple lands were being given away at throwaway prices to a favoured few and the lands were given by Rajas previously, to benefit the Brahmin community and to enable the smooth functioning of rituals at small temples,” he said. The court has asked him or a party nominated by him to acquire the land paying the additional money and it should be done within the stipulated time, he added. The lands near Chennai would fetch about `100 crore but Naidu has given it away on a platter at `22 cr, he said.