Congress lashes out at Governor over sand mafia

Hyderabad: The Telangana Congress has breathed fire at Governor ESL Narasimhan on Friday taking objection to the latter’s comments on certain issues of the state and said the Governor should not act like a functionary of the ruling TRS.

This has taken place at the Raj Bhavan when a delegation of the Telangana Congress led by Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy met the Governor to submit a memorandum on sand mafia. The delegation comprised Leader of Opposition in Assembly K Jana Reddy, Leader of Congress in the Legislative Council Mohammad Ali Shabbir, MLA DK Aruna, MLC P Sudhakar Reddy, official spokesperson D Sravan and others.

When the Congress leaders met him, the Governor reportedly found fault with them and made certain comments. This has led to an argument between the Congress leaders and the Governor. According to the Congress leaders, the Governor said the Congress has been giving false information on sand mafia.  

He said that Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi president Krishna Madiga should have desisted from agitation over categorization of SC reservations. This has infuriated the Congress leaders who questioned the Governor whether he knew what was happening in the state. They advised the Governor to behave as per the post he has been holding and not like party worker of the TRS.

The Congress leaders stated that Narasimhan has been made Governor of Telangana by former president of the AICC Sonia Gandhi. They alleged that he has been indulging in lobbying to continue as Governor. Addressing the media at the Raj Bhavan, after meeting the Governor, TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy said the sand mafia has been looting the state and causing damage to the environment. It has also been leading to depletion of groundwater table.

An employee of the Revenue department has been killed by the sand mafia in Kamareddy district and police have been trying to divert the issue. While the employee has been crushed to death by a tractor carrying sand, the police have claimed otherwise.

Uttam Kumar Reddy wanted to know why the police have laid siege to the village where the death took place and alleged that it was an attempt to save somebody in the government. In an indirect reference to Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, the TPCC president said that while KTR makes tweets regularly on various issues, why he was silent on the killing of revenue employee.

He made it clear that due to the sand mafia, the agriculture sector has been suffering losses of Rs 4000 crore to Rs 5000 crore. The officials of the lower levels were afraid of the mafia. He demanded that the police should file a case on the driver of the tractor under section 302 of IPC. The government should pay ex gratia to the family of the deceased employee.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that MRPS president Manda Krishna Madiga had been arrested when he was on hunger strike in his own office. He wanted to know whether Dalits have a right to live in the state.He alleged that no action has been taken on the official who has protected the sand mafia in Karimnagar district. Due to the mafia the price of sand has gone up from Rs 12,000 per a truck load to Rs 60,000 per load. MLA DK Aruna said the sand mafia has been ruling the roost in the state.

While the government states that it has been getting Rs 600 crore per annum through the sand mining, the price of it was very high when it reaches the people. The mafia has been deciding the prices of the sand and no one knows who has been pocketing the money earned out of it.