Telangana Irrigation minister T Harish says APIIC was under pressure

He explained that about 8.39 acre of land at Rampur in Warangal district, assigned to Dalits in 1971, was purchased by Mr Lakshmaiah. He had filed a writ petition in the High Court in 1987 seeking directions to legalise the transaction, which he had withdrawn in 1994 only to approach the court again.

The High Court had struck down his petition in 2001 citing the prohibition under the Act. However, he had filed a writ appeal, which was again struck down in 2002.

Later, the government had issued orders to take back the land, but the same was not implemented because Mr Lakshmaiah was a Cabinet minister, Mr Harish Rao said adding that even the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had found fault with the allotment.

In a protest Leader of Opposition K. Jana Reddy said, “You want to defame just one person. You should see what has to be done now. APIIC was given the land from whom he (Mr Lakshmaiah) bought it.”

Mr Harish Rao, however, said, “APIIC was against allotting the land to Mr Lakshmaiah, but it was done under government pressure,” he said. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said action would be taken against Mr Lakshmaiah and the eight acres would be recovered from Tirumala Hatcheries.

“First, as per law whatever action is to taken in this case will be taken. We are not targeting any one person. Second, about 1.90 lakh acres of assigned land is under encroachment. Dalit lands should be given back to Dalits. Same is with Wakf, endowment, Bhudhan, ceiling surplus lands,” he said.

He also agreed to the constitution of a House Committee to see land irregularities. Speaker S. Madhusudhan Chary said that the committee would be an all-party one.