VISAKHAPATNAM: Continuing the tirade launched by his party leaders against the Telugu Desam government over the alleged land scam in Visakhapatnam, YSRC president and Leader of Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, IT minister N Lokesh and several local, yet influential, ruling party leaders of using the government machinery to favour the land mafia.
Spearheading the all-party Maha Dharna titled ‘Save Visakhapatnam’ launched by his party in Vizag on Thursday, he addressed a well-attended gathering of around 10,000 people including YSRC leaders, general public and land grab victims.
“The Chief Minister, his son, ministers and local legislators have misused their power and aided the land mafia on a quid pro quo basis. This dharna is a wake-up call for everybody — victims, mafia, citizens, and most of all the government,” he said.
“The undemocratic and selfish government must be taught a lesson,” he added, during his 45-minute speech at the dharna venue at the GVMC- Gandhi Statue Junction.
He also invited four land grab victims onto the dais and interacted with them. Making a strong pitch for a CBI probe into the scam, Jagan alleged that the entire government — from top to bottom — including officials were hand-in-glove with land sharks.
“Revenue records pertaining to above 1 lakh acres have gone missing and the government in its wisdom took an overnight decision to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT), cancelling the scheduled public hearing. What prompted them to do so still remains a big question. But for such a big scam, a CBI probe is the most viable alternative. At a time when everybody is demanding a CBI probe, the government has remained adamant on its decision. May we know why?” he demanded to know.