Govt likely to take back land allotted to Sarada Peetham

Visakhapatnam: Following appeals and complaints from various quarters, the NDA government in the State has taken a decision to take back 15 acres of the most valuable parcel of land allotted by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government for the Visakha Sri Sarada Peetham.

Earlier, Peetham pontiff Swaroopanandendra Saraswati Swamy made an appeal to the previous YSRCP government to allot land to set up a Sanskrit school, to promote Vedic education and conduct other Peetham related activities.

Responding to the pontiff’s request, the file moved forward in a swift manner. As requested, the Jagan’s government allotted 7.7 acres in survey number 102/2 and 7.3 acres in 103 on the hill in Bheemunipatnam constituency for the Peetham.

In 2021, Rs 225 crore worth of land was given at the rate of Rs 15 lakh per acre to the Peetham. Later, the seer of the Peetham requested for amendments in the GO so that the land could be used for other purposes as well.

Based on the request, a few higher officials made amendments in the GO without the cabinet approval.

Subsequently, the NDA government identified it after conducting a review meeting on illegal land allocations that took place during the previous government’s tenure.

Apart from identifying the land parcel allotted to the Peetham at a throwaway price, a number of complaints started pouring in from various quarters on the land allocation. As a result, the government decided to roll back the land allotted to it.

Swaroopanandendra Saraswati, who was known to be the ‘Guru’ for Jagan and Chief Ministers of several other States across the country in the past five years, planned to use 15 acres of government land and reportedly turn it into a financial resource.

A letter was sent to the then Chief Minister stating that their intention is to use those lands to generate income for the Peetham and hence requested to amend the GO accordingly.

Further, it was mentioned in the letter that the Peetham has already been doing service and Vedic-related activities in Varanasi and Rishikesh along with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Sarada Peetham seer sought amendments in the GO. Following his request, the previous YSRCP government released a revised GO in February 2024 prior to the State Assembly elections in favour of the seer.

Meanwhile, leaders of Jana Sena Party (JSP), Visakha District Dalit Unity Forum (VDDUF), Telugu Shakti, among others, made repeated representations against the land allotment to the Sarada Peetham. Also, objections were raised by the other Peetham seers too.

On Sunday, the representatives of VDDUF took out a rally and erected flags with a plea to allot the lands to the poor instead at Bheemunipatnam.

Keeping the growing demands in view, the State government is set to take a decision on the Peetham lands soon.