BRS and Congress Clash Over Land and Corruption
A massive political feud has erupted in Telangana, pitting the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) against the ruling Congress government over a newly introduced land policy. The BRS has leveled serious allegations of a monumental scam, claiming the new framework is designed to illegally benefit a select few at the expense of public assets.
At the heart of the dispute is the Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transformation Policy (HILTP), recently approved by the state cabinet.3 BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, vehemently accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of orchestrating what he termed “the biggest land scam in the history of India.”
KTR asserted that the HILTP is merely a tool to convert thousands of acres of prime industrial land in Hyderabad’s sought-after clusters into real estate at deeply discounted prices. He alleged that nearly 9,300 acres in areas like Balanagar and Sanathnagar, which hold an open market value in the lakhs of crores, are being targeted for regularization.
The core of the allegation revolves around the price at which the conversion is permitted. KTR claimed that the government is allowing private parties to regularize this high-value land by paying only a small fraction—30 percent—of the official, yet outdated, Sub-Registrar Office (SRO) rate.He argued that this mechanism is a clear blueprint to siphon off immense public wealth to benefit the Chief Minister’s close associates and a network of middlemen.
The BRS leader reminded the public that these industrial lands were originally allotted by previous governments at subsidized rates, sometimes acquired from farmers, with the specific intent of creating jobs and boosting manufacturing. He questioned the motive behind allowing their cheap conversion into apartment complexes and commercial malls, suggesting the move prioritizes real estate profit over public welfare and job creation.
In response, Congress Ministers have strongly defended the policy.Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy countered the allegations, insisting that the HILTP is fully transparent and its main purpose is to make Hyderabad a pollution-free city by relocating non-viable or polluting industries outside the core urban area. He accused the BRS of spreading deliberate misinformation without fully understanding the policy’s environmental and developmental goals.
Minister Reddy clarified that the government is levying a one-time development impact fee for the change in land use, which will boost state revenues. He also pointed out that previous BRS administrations had themselves discussed similar policies, dismissing the opposition’s current protest as an act of political frustration and vendetta, as no corruption has occurred.
As the political heat intensifies, KTR has issued a stern warning to any industrialists or developers entering into deals under this scheme. He pledged that if the BRS returns to power, they would initiate a full inquiry, reverse all transactions, and take severe legal action against all parties involved.This high-stakes clash over land marks a significant escalation in the rivalry between Telangana’s two major political forces.
