In the past three days the war of words on capital Amaravati has become intense and took a curious turn. For the people of this state the war, of words and charges and counter charges , is really educative. While a super rich section wants to control the capital in an unprecedented way by purchasing the lands around the capital, the other, rival section, wants to weaken the grip of this section over the emerging capital. While one section cries foul over the large scale purchase of lands just before the announcement of capital location, the other section says there was nothing wrong if a moneyed man buys lands from a seller. No doubt, wars have serious negative consequences for society. But, wars do contribute to the cause of justice, and truth. They can correct terrible injustices and some socio political maladies.
This equally applies to wars (of words,and charges and counter charges) in political front as well. The ongoing war of words on Amaravati Capital construction and the efforts of those in power to amass wealth in the name world class capital, and the opposition’s struggle to unsettle the ruling party has the potential to make or mar the image of the upcoming capital.
If the people of the state are wiser, they can learn many things from this war of words and use the knowledge thus gained to teach politicians a lesson or two for taking them for a ride. The issue is going to rock the Assembly tomorrow when governor ESL Narasimhan addresses the joint session of Assembly and the Council. The war or words at a glance:
YSRC: The top brass of Telugu Desam party including CM’s son, ministers, MPs, MLAs etc bought large tracts of land to the extent of 25,000 ac. in the capital region by gaining access to the information of the capital location beforehand.
CM: What is wrong in purchasing land with their own money. What is important is where the rules are followed or flouted.
YSRC: State government was soft on Agrigold management which cheated the people for hundreds of crore by taking deposits because CM’s son Lokesh has got benefited. He cornered the Rs 425 Cr worth Haailand property.
CM: Agrigod Properties have been attached. How does you link the name of Lokesh to these properties . How can one take these lands when under attachment?
The CMO: The CMO also contradicted the YSRCP’s charge on Lokesh’s Agrigold land connection. The Haailand property of 103 acres in Chinakakani has been attached under AP Protection of Depositers of Financial Establishements Act 1999, Sec. 4 and sub sec 1. Buying and selling the property is illegal . It can’t be said that Lokesh cornered the property.
YSRC: Demanded CBI inquiry into the one-fell-swoop purchase of thousands of acres of land by TDP leaders just before the announcement of the locality of the capital Amaravati.
CM: Where is the need for inquiry. They bought lands with their own money. You sling mud on the people ask them to wipe it off. Jagan has to prove what his paper wrote about the land purchases. We are consulting legal experts on what course we should take.
CM: At a time when I am painstakingly developing Brand Amaravati, they (YSRCP) want to damage it. All these are base allegations against me, my son and my ministers. I will take action. I will reveal the kind of action we are planning to take soon.
YSRCP: Amaravati has become mask for the land grabbing from the poor. They did not even spare the assigned lands of Dalits. While the poor forced to sacrifice the land, rich in TDP amassing the lands. Amaravati is a non-starter. Since Amaravati is embroiled in the controversies, Naidu wants some human movement and activity in the wilderness of Amaravati. So, he is coercing the employees to work from Amaravati from June 15, 2016.
CM: This type allegations and campaign by the Opposition party is damaging the image of Amaravati capital. I will starting functioning from Amaravati from June 15. And employees should relocate themselves to Amaravati by June 15.
YSRCP: Ministers and MPs have tricked the Dalits to sell their assigned lands to them and they got them at cheaper rates of Rs 5 lakh per acre, whose present market value runs into crores.
CM: As for assigned lands, announcement of capital is the cutoff date. The ownership of assigned lands belongs to those who owned the lands at the time of capital announcement.
YSRC: All the assigened lands were purchased few days before the announcement of capital location. Purchases were made with prior knowledge of the capital announcement.
YSRC: CM should respond on the sudden purchasing spree of lands by ministers Pratipati Pullarao, Devineni Uma, P Narayana, Ravela Kishore Babu in and around Capital few days before the announcement of Capital location.
CM : If somebody buys the land, how could you find fault with them. Investigations can’t be instituted on land transactions. If one buys the land from another, It can’t be termed illegal. Government is concerned only when the there is violation of rules in the purchase of lands.
