CM's assurance on land deals finds no takers, House stalled again

For the third day consecutive day, the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly witnessed noisy scenes and vociferous arguments over the alleged twisted land deals and was adjourned again on Friday without transacting any scheduled business.

The entire opposition unanimously demanded ordering of Joint Legislature Committee to probe the alleged land deals.

The Chair could not control the enraged opposition particularly Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu whose outburst reverberated in the House.
Bowing to the escalated pressure mounted by the Members of the entire opposition, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy informed that he would make an announcement on the particulars related to the controversial land allocations.  

He also categorically stated that he would certainly take the opposition leaders’ advices which would serve the public interests.
The Chief Minister stated that he would review Brahmani Infrateck land allotments.

He however clarified that he would review only on the system of land allotment and not on the land allocations as alleged.
This sparked off a furore in the House with Mr Chandrababu Naidu taking the Treasury Benches to task over its negligence to concede to their demand for ordering a Joint Legislature Committee to probe into the unlawful allocation of lands in Hyderabad
to the business partners of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s son and former MP from Kadapa YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
The House was a witness to the heated arguments between the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Minister over the burning issue. Mr Naidu alleged that kick-backs were being received by the vested interests in the unlawful allocations of the prime land in the city
and told the House that pressure would be mounted on the government until a Joint House Committee was ordered to check the said allotments.
He pointed out that there was a big hand behind all the ‘land allotments’ in which there were lot of irregularities resulting in the misuse of thousands of crores of public money. 'This is money laundering,' Mr Naidu charged.
Insisting on tabling the particulars of the said land allocations, Mr Naidu pointed out that currently discussions on ‘corruption’ and scams were a hot subject for debate in all Legislatures in the country and stressed the urgency to inform all these particulars to
the people.
Reacting to these allegations, Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar said that despite government’s assurance to the effect that a review would be held in the said issue, it was not proper to stall the House.
Finding that the opposition unrelenting in their protest, Mr Manohar adjourned the House for a short break.

As soon as the house reassembled after the short break, the issue occupied centre-stage again.

Major Industries Minister J Geetha Reddy informed that the Chief Minister would make an announcement on the contentious issue. Dissatisfied with her reply, CPM MLA Julakanti
Rangareddy said that the government should testify its honesty by ordering the appointment of a JLC immediately.
Lok Satta MLA Jayaprakash Narayan also demanded that JLC be ordered into the whole land issue. Stating that it was not proper to place the public resources into the hands of a few self-centred land sharks that too when the prime land was scarce, he deplored that the natural resources turned into corrupt centres.
On the same lines, BJP MLA G Kishen Reddy too demanded a JLC probe into the land scam. He suggested that the lands given away for a throwaway price earlier should be taken back by the government.

Stating that mere ‘review’ of the land deals was scant, Mr Kishen Reddy also demanded
that there should be a change in the industrialization system itself which was affecting the agriculture as green and fertile lands were being taken away by industrialists.
Earlier, the TDP Members trooped into the Well of the House and surrounded the Speaker’s podium.

Holding placards, they raised their voice in favour of a JLC in the alleged land scam. Both the CPI and CPM members also supported the main opposition.
Mr Manohar’s plea for their cooperation fell on the deaf ears.

Minister for Legislative Affairs Duddilla Sridhar Babu also intervened and told them that the Chief Minister would make an announcement on the subject but opposition members did not give in, leading to the House being adjourned for the day, without transacting any business.