Hyderabad: With the AP government using small quantities of diamonds, precious stones, gold and silver along with Navadanyalau during the bhoomi puja for the capital city, there is round-the-clock security at the puja site.
A platoon of cops is stationed at the site to ward off thieves. During bhoomi puja for the capital on June 6, as part of the ritual, the government had put navaratnalu, panchaloha, navadhanyalu at the dug-up pit at the site. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, his wife Bhuavaneswari and son Lokesh, and ministers had cemented the pit ceremoniously. A silver basin and gold coated shovel were used for the masonry work.
Tullur tahsildar Anne Sudhir told Deccan Chronicle: “Usually while laying the corner stone of buildings, two to three grams of gold and navaratnas are put in the pit. As the capital city will be massive, we added a bit more, including a small diamond, gold and silver. It is only nominal. But there is widespread speculation in villages that a huge quantity has been put in the pit.
Due to this there are apprehensions that thieves may dig up the site and thus police is guarding the site round the clock.” Farmers who are against the Land Pooling Scheme say that the police presence is to prevent protests and demolition of the corner stone and the bhoomi puja pit.
Mr M. Seshagiri Rao of the farmers’ association said, “The huge police presence at the site and other areas of the capital indicates that the land pooling is not voluntary and it is under coercion.”
