Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao has said that booking of criminal cases and putting at least a few political leaders, involved in land grabbing, behind bars is necessary to make unscrupulous leaders think twice before indulging in encroachments.
Addressing the media here on Sunday, he said that Palla Sankar Rao, brother of former MLA and Telugu Desam Party(TDP) Parliamentary district president Palla Srinivasa Rao, had 61 acres of land in his possession at Jaggarajupeta, Tunglam and other areas of the city. He alleged that this includes 49 acres, both government and private, encroached by the family. The basic value of the land was ₹263 crore and the market value was estimated to be ₹791.41 crore, the Minister alleged.
Alleging large-scale land grabbing by the TDP leaders during the tenure of Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Minister said that the TDP leaders were trying to project the recovery of encroached lands by the YSR Congress Party government as ‘Visakhapatnam being put for sale’, in a bid to cover up their own lapses.
The Minister questioned whether Mr. Naidu would support a land grabber and continue Mr. Srinivasa Rao as TDP Parliamentary district president or dismiss him from the post. Referring to the TDP national president going to court opposing Visakhapatnam being made as Executive Capita and distribution of house sites to the poor in the city, the Tourism Minister alleged that the TDP wants the support of the people of Visakhapatnam and north Andhra in the elections to gain power but is against development of the region.
The Minister said that only Visakhapatnam city, in the State, with its cosmopolitan culture and infrastructure like international airport and railway junction, has the potential to grow up to match cities like Hyderabad and Chennai. He urged the Opposition parties not to oppose the development of the city.
Replying to queries, the Tourism Minister said that no political leaders, irrespective of their party affiliation, would be spared if they indulge in land grabbing. To another query, he said that only government land would be utilised for the ‘executive capital’
On hike in taxes, he retorted, “You want development but don’t want to pay taxes and you also don’t want the government to borrow money.”
The BJP leaders in the State should strive for commencement of work on South Coast Railway (S Co R) Zone, which was announced by the Centre more than two years ago apart from securing Special Category Status (SCS) and Special Package, he added.
