BJP alleges a huge land scam

​Vijayawada: The city unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged a huge land scam in the new capital - Amaravati. Speaking to mediapersons on Wednesday, BJP city president Dasam Umamaheswara Raju took strong exception to the State government roping in foreign companies as consultants.

• BJP Vijayawada City president Dasam Umamaheswara Raju takes exception to foreign companies’ clause of settling legal issues in London courts
• Objects to giving land of lease to companies for 99 years
• Questions the rationale behind pooling 33,000 acres for capital, while other cities were built in less area
• Former legislator Vellampalli Srinivas alleges the State government of misusing funds allocated by centre

He also raised objection to the government giving lands to foreign companies on lease for 99 years. Stating that the government had acquired 33,000 acres of fertile lands from the farmers promising to build the new capital, he wondered why the government was giving the same lands to foreign companies.

He said that giving lands and the capital works to foreign companies on Swiss Challenge system was highly objectionable. “The foreign companies have laid a condition that legal issues relating to the capital works and the land lease ownership would have to be challenged only in the London courts.

Authorising London courts on our lands and ignoring Supreme Court and High Court was objectionable,” he remarked and demanded the Chief Minister to drop these conditions and take back the lands from foreign companies.

The BJP leader also wondered why the State government had taken 33,000 acres of lands for capital, when the other cities were built on just 15,000 acres of land. He also alleged that the government was set to take another 30,000 acres of forest land for the capital, besides taking 70,000 acres of land for industries and ports in the State.

This would turn the State into a desert; he feared and added that the government was working towards withdrawing agriculture from the State.

“TDP came into power by promising jobs for educated youth, then why the government was giving the capital works, including the plans, to the foreigners while leaving our own educated and talented youth jobless,” he questioned. Asking the government to drop the plans given by the consultancies, “Allow our own engineers and architects to develop plan for Amaravati and let our capital be more Indian,” he said.

Former legislator Vellampalli Srinivas asked the TDP leaders to restrain from making objectionable comments against the BJP leaders. He said the BJP leader Somu Veerraju sought explanation from the government on the funds given by the Centre and the amount spent by the State government.

He alleged that the State government was misusing the funds and spreading false campaign among the people against the Modi government. He wanted the TDP leadership to keep a check on some of its leaders, who were trying to break alliance.

The BJP leaders LRK Prasad, P Malakondaiah, PVV Prasad, T Sivanageswara Rao and others were present.