HYDERABAD: BRS leader T Harish Rao on Thursday urged AICC leader Rahul Gandhi to ask Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to immediately sack Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy as revenue minister over the Section 22-A prohibited lands issue.
Directly addressing the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha in a post on ‘X’ platform, he said: “Dear @RahulGandhi ji, a grave governance crisis in Telangana. Section 22-A, meant to safeguard against illegal registrations, is allegedly being used to arbitrarily freeze private properties, with allegations of a “30% collection racket” and coercive 50:50 development agreements involving front/benami entities. Thousands of properties, including HMDA/GHMC-approved layouts and long-standing patta lands, are reportedly affected across Hyderabad, Medchal, Malkajgiri, Rangareddy, Sangareddy and in all districts of Telangana.”
“Bhu Bharati was Congress’s promise to bring certainty to land records. It must not become a source of uncertainty for settled property titles. I demand: Immediate removal of Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy. Independent judicial inquiry by a retired High Court judge. Forensic audit of all Section 22-A additions/removals since December 2023. Independent anti-corruption investigation. Protection of bona fide property owners. District-wise, survey-number-wise public disclosure. Section 22A is a statutory safeguard, not a tool for extortion,” Harish Rao said.
Meanwhile, BRS working president KT Rama Rao extended support to the polytechnic students protesting against GO 97. He alleged that these students are now staring at an uncertain future because of the decision taken by the government. Expressing shock over the “police high-handedness” against some students, he demanded that the government immediately cancel the controversial GO.
