Warangal: BJP, TRS spar over temple land

Warangal: The BJP and the TRS continue to trade charges against each other over Siddheshwaralayam land. In a retort on Monday, the BJP leaders accused the TRS leaders of resorting to land grabbing in the city. It may be mentioned here that Chief Whip D Vinay Bhaskar on Sunday alleged that the BJP was creating hurdles to the government's plans to construct a Smriti Vanam in the name of Prof Jayashankar.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP State Spokesperson Enugula Rakesh Reddy said that Chief Whip Vinay Bhaskar was trying to grab the Siddheshwaralayam land in the name of

constructing a Smriti Vanam in memory of Telangana ideologue Prof Jayashankar.

"Vinay, who was silent all these years all of a sudden wants to develop Prof Jayashankar Ghat in the land belonging to the temple. The BJP has high regards for Prof Jayashankar, but the Chief Whip wants to project us in a negative shade," he said.

Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao needs to answer why he was mum when the land encroachments are rampant in the city. "The TRS must show the GO how it got the municipal land in Balasamudram where TRS party office and Vinay Bhaskar's camp office have come up. It's a shame that the people's representatives, who encroach lands themselves, crying foul," Rakesh Reddy said. The administration should stay away from such activity, he added. "We will not sit idle if the temple land is encroached," he said. The ABVP workers were beaten black and blue during their protest when the minister went to KU on Sunday, Rakesh Reddy said, demanding Errabelli to tell what he has done for the development of Warangal.

Referring to the temple land issue, Urban District President Rao Padma found fault with the Chief Whip for blaming the BJP. She criticised Errabelli for not focusing on issues faced by the Kakatiya University. "The Minister is least bothered even though the KU is without a vice-chancellor for about two years and grappling with staff crunch," Padma said.

Corporator K Sambaiah, who resigned from TRS and Satyam Computer Education Institutes, and GRK Group Chairman Ganta Ravi Kumar, who were scheduled to join the BJP on Tuesday in the presence of BJP State President Bandi Sanjay, were present.

Meanwhile, the BJP SC Morcha staged a protest, demanding the State Government to distribute three acres land to Dalits and granting of loans through SC Corporation. The BJP State Spokesperson E Rakesh Reddy and Urban district president Rao Padma also participated in the protest. The protestors raised slogans against the government for its failure to fulfil its promises during the elections. The police foiled the bid of the protestors when they tried to lay siege to Urban District Collectorate.