The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Minister dares Naidu to prove land-grab charge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Minister dares Naidu to prove land-grab charge

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, AUG. 24. The Minister for Civil Supplies, G. Vijayarama Rao, has challenged the TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, to prove the allegation that courts had indicted him in the past on land-grabbing charges.

Offering to resign if proved guilty, he accused the TDP of planting the "landgrab scandal" report in a section of the media after twisting the facts.

`Sequence of events'

Tracing the events that landed him in the deal at a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Vijayarama Rao explained that one Rahimunnisa offered him the land in 1990 when he was on the lookout for a plot to build his hospital. He paid an advance amount on being shown the documents pertaining to the land.

When he approached the local revenue authorities for registration, he was shocked to learn that the land had already been sold to one Deeptisri Society headed by one A. Subba Rao, a Telugu Desam activist, and others. On realising that he was misled into the deal, he took a general power of attorney from so-called owners of the land and lodged a complaint with the revenue authorities.

Court battle

The authorities on learning that the land belonged to the Government ordered an enquiry and reclaimed it. The matter landed in court and after a few years of litigation, it was proved beyond doubt that the land belonged to the Government. Thus the process initiated by him only helped the Government get back its land.

While Deeptisri Society preferred an appeal in Supreme Court having lost its case in the High Court, Mr. Vijaya Rama Rao said he did not evince any interest in the land.

He said he did not own any land anywhere in the State and if proved otherwise, he would quit politics.

Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam and the BJP demanded the Minister's resignation in the wake of a media report that he had been declared a "land-grabber" by courts in the past.

Replying to questions at a press conference, the TDP leader, K.Vidyadher Rao, said "decency demands he resign immediately.''

Congress under fire

Accusing the Congress of adopting double standard, he questioned the propriety of allowing Mr. Vijayarama Rao to continue as minister when it had demanded the resignation of the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Uma Bharti, against whom a non-bailable warrant was issued in connection with the case relating to the hoisting of the tricolour at the Idgah maidan, Hubli.

At a separate press conference, former Union Minister and senior BJP leader, Ch. Vidyasagar Rao and the BJP State leader, K. Laxman, alleged that there was "prima facie case" against the Minister and demanded that he step down immediately.

They also alleged that some "Ministers" in the State Cabinet were facing murder charges and wanted the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, to publish a white paper giving details of all MLAs and the ministers who were facing charges and against whom warrants were pending. They also urged the Chief Minister to submit the details to the Speaker, K R Suresh Reddy.

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