BJP state president Bandi Sanjay accused the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government led by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of harassing sarpanches and usurping their powers vested with them as per the Constitution.
Sanjay was speaking to reporters after submitting a memorandum to Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan at Raj Bhavan on the hardships being faced by the representatives of the local bodies and other issues. Adilabad MP Soyam Bapu, former council chairman Swamy Goud, former member of council N Ramachander Rao and other senior BJP leaders were also signatories to the memorandum.
He alleged that the KCR government had snatched away the powers of the sarpanches and when they started questioning, they were being intimidated and suspended.
He said that all schemes like Palle Prakruti Vanam, Vaikunta Dhamam etc. are centrally funded, yet the state government is not approving those funds to the sarpanches and instead, it is diverting the money. “There are pending bills of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for each sarpanch. The government has frozen their accounts and is forcing them to turn into daily-wage labourers,” he added.
Sanjay also called the attack on Gouravelli project oustees inhumane, stating that no compensation was offered so far to those who offered land to the 1.4TMC project which began in 2007. Sanjay recalled that KCR had promised for fair compensation when he was elected to power, but is now resorting to police violence on those who are democratically protesting for their legal rights.
He noted that the tribals who lost their land have not been so far offered a house or land. He also stated that the state government is not bothering the National Green Tribunal’s stay on the project. Sanjay added that the BJP will fight until the oustees get justice and action is taken against the TRS goons who attacked them.
Calling out on the poor facilities at IIIT-Basara, Sanjay said that about 8,000 students are suffering due to lack of basic amenities at the premier institute. Stating that poor students who took an admission at the institute with dreams of higher education are tortured, Sanjay demanded their issues be resolved at the earliest and the BJP would stand by the students.