The 49-year-old Hyderabad resident Veera Chary Chilupuri is once again in the news for filing a petition against the Telangana Government recently. It challenges the government's land allotment to the Sri Sarada Peetham of Vishakapatnam at Kokapet.
Earthly concerns
Veera Chary, who’s also been working extensively with an NGO to provide nets for mosquito-related diseases like malaria and dengue, seems to have a singular concern regarding the petition he’s filed. “I don’t have any objection in the land being allotted to anyone, be it a Hindu Peetham or otherwise. What I am concerned about is that the government isn’t allotting the land on lease-basis for 99 years; instead it’s selling it,” he says, going on to add, “What if the buyer indulges in illegal activities on the land? Once the government sells, it can’t exercise any control over the possession of the land nor take it back. Also, there’s the possibility that the buyer resells the land to some others. Therefore, I believe the government has to be the custodian of the land.”
The petitioner then cites another case of how the government has allotted acres of prime land at Yadadri and Kokapet at a mere `1. “The government should sell the land in square yards, but instead, they converted the land into acres before selling it. What’s worse, the government’s selling the land below the market value,” the public interest crusader laments.
Finding his resolve
When asked if he gets any threats for having taken up these matters upon himself, the social activist denies it. On the contrary, he says there’s a criticism that his courage comes from the fact that he is a BJP leader. “I am indeed an active member of the RSS, but how does that matter? I believe in the transparency of the system, and my only agenda is to save to land,” retorts Veera Chary, who says that the Next Gen will be left with nothing if the government keeps selling the land thus. Does he feels isolated in this battle, we ask him. “Many people talk, but only a few come out in support. So also, even my friends and family members repeatedly ask me why I venture into such social causes. There are a few likeminded people who’ve joined me in this fight,” says Chary.
