BJP’s Telangana state President Bandi Sanjay on Monday sat on silent protest in Karimnagar, demanding the state government to resolve the issues relating to Podu lands and the Dharani portal.
The BJP leader slammed Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for failing to solve the Podu land issue and for allegedly committing excesses on tribals demanding rights on Podu lands.
He recalled that the Chief Minister had promised to solve the Podu land issue during the 2019 elections. “Whenever there is a problem, he says he will sit and solve but has never solved a single problem,” said Sanjay, who is also a Member of Parliament from Karimnagar.
Podu lands are the lands tilled by tribals in the forests and the disputes over them have led to clashes between them and the Forest Department.
In the latest incident, eight tribal women and two women forest staff were injured in clashes in Mancherial district on July 8. Forest officials filed cases against seven tribal women.
The Forest Department claimed that it was only trying to stop encroachment of the Kawal Tiger Reserve.
The BJP leader slammed the state government for “using lathis” (batons) against tribals and farmers demanding justice.
Sanjay also demanded that the government take immediate steps to immediately address issues arising out of the Dharani portal.
Alleging that the Dharani portal was brought to grab the lands, he said the portal created a situation where nobody knows where his or her land has gone.
Sanjay alleged that all the people who sold their lands 40 and 50 years ago and left are coming to the villages and attacking the farmers and grabbing their lands.
He also alleged that Dharani portal was brought to transfer lands worth thousands of crores to CM KCR, his family and those close to him.
He claimed that records pertaining to 15 lakh acres are yet to be registered on Dharani portal. “Out of total records registered, 50 per cent are full of errors. Lakhs of people are facing problems,” he said.
He ridiculed KCR’s statement that Dharani portal was brought to check corruption. “KCR talking of corruption is like a devil chanting holy scripture,” he said.
