Bring it on, ‘fighter’ Eatala Rajender dares leader

HYDERABAD:  Hours after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao ordered a probe into allegations of landgrabbing, Medical and Health Minister Eatala Rajender reacted in equal measure, daring the Chief Minister to order a probe by even by a sitting judge. “I fought, even when I had nothing. I am a fighter and will not succumb to the pressure now. My atmagouravam (self-respect) is more important than any post. But my work and dharma speak for themselves,” Rajender said.

Terming the reports in a few news channels, including T-News, as “fictitious” and an attempt to assassinate his character, Rajender said he was ready for any kind of probe into his assets and how he had acquired them by “any investigation agency on earth including the CBI”. “The truth will triumph ultimately,” he asserted. The Minister did not say anything against the Chief Minister, but felt that the government should have sought his explanation before ordering a probe. Rajender appeared determined to take the issue to its logical end and face the Chief Minister politically.

“The word dora is very cheap. I have always fought against doratanam (fiefdom),” Rajender recalled. The tone and tenor of Rajender, who spoke to the media on Friday night, indicated that he had decided to fight it out on a political plane. In a calculated move, Rajender threw the ball right back into the CM’s court by demanding a probe by any agency and indicating that KCR was in the know about the assigned lands issue. Rajender said he would not resign as a Minister, till the probe unravelled the truth.

Eatala wanted lands for poultry farm

The assigned lands shared surrounded a poultry farm owned by Rajender, which was registered under the name of his wife Jamuna. According to sources, these lands, which were not given possession certificates, were also purchased under Jamuna’s name. After buying the lands, Rajender reportedly approached the CM, and wanted the government to transfer the lands for his poultry farm. Rajender, according to sources, was willing to hand over the assigned lands purchased by him to the TSIIC.

In turn, the TSIIC was to allot the lands to Rajender’s poultry farm for a throwaway price. The then Collector of Medak Dharma Reddy brought the land-grabbing issue to the attention of the government. The then Assistant Collector of Medak Nagesh told a news channel that he had made it clear that it was not possible to transfer the lands when Rajender had approached him for their regularisation.