Poor hit below the belt with ‘zameen chori’

Hyderabad: Member of Parliament from Malkajgiri Eatala Rajender has expressed his serious concern over the state government’s unilateral decision to place the land rights of lakhs of people on the prohibited list under Section 22-A of the Bhu Bharati initiative.

The MP launched a broadside on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and the All India Service (AIS) official machinery—particularly the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) — for a lack of empathy.

On the Section 22-A fiasco, the MP said that Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA) wrote a letter to the collectors on September 19, 2025, regarding Section 22-A. On November 22, 2025, the Medchal District Collector wrote a letter to the Stamps and Registration Department, and the Stamps and Registration Department issued a circular on Section 22-A on December 2, 2025.

However, the Ministers are talking different things: “This whole process was not a well-thought-out one but happened with official machinery going with ‘Yes Boss ’, and it turned into a weapon to blackmail people.

Dismissing the Revenue Minister’s reported claims of receipt of a few applications, Etala said, “Lands of about 55,000 farmers in Narasapur alone have gone under the prohibited list. This exposes the magnitude of serious implications.” Eatala turned his ire also on the All India Service (AIS) officers, accusing them of acting with a “Yes Boss” mindset rather than following the rule book, and called it a disturbing trend. He warned they might meet the same fate as former AIS officers like Srilakshmi and BP Acharya for allegedly acting on the diktats of their political bosses in united Andhra Pradesh.

Highlighting a series of administrative actions affecting the lives of the poor, he said one of the senior AIS officers, Dana Kishore, let officials and police, along with huge numbers of bulldozers, descend on Fanigiri Colony and announce a demolition drive on houses adjacent to Musi. Etala said the Dharani initiative under the Bharat Rashtra Samithi regime converted lakhs of acres of land cultivated by people living in poverty and low income for five to six generations into government land. Revanth Reddy’s government is taking steps to grab land.

The MP said, “Quality roses are grown on 659 acres in Bahadurguda. Women there had to resist with chilli power in hand to take on grabbers when they descended to grab their land.” People living for many years in Mahendra Hills had also gone under Section 22-A overnight.”

The MP accused the BRS regime of transferring lands worth over Rs 20,000 crore in Kukatpally to a Gulf Oil Corporation; Lands worth Rs 12,000 crore belonging to IDPL went into the hands of Phoenix in his parliamentary constituency. Besides, 176 acres of colony land adjacent to Mahatma Gandhi Nagar has gone to intermediaries.

Selling of shops is going unabated. “Changes are being made in Bhu Bharati night after night. In all, 134 acres of land worth Rs 17,000 crore in Puppalaguda has changed hands. People who bought 60 yards at Boinpalli Market are at the receiving end.”

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VRC Phaniharan

VRC Phaniharan[email protected]