Leather park set to spark a row among parties

Leather park set to spark a row among parties
x
Highlights

A two-and-half decade promise by the then State government over the Rukmapur Leather Park in the district has become a sort of a political slanging match. Both the Congress and the BJP are busy organising agitations to put the ruling party in a difficult situation. 

Karimnagar: A two-and-half decade promise by the then State government over the Rukmapur Leather Park in the district has become a sort of a political slanging match. Both the Congress and the BJP are busy organising agitations to put the ruling party in a difficult situation.

The government had allotted 134.30 acres at Rukmapur under Choppadandi mandal for the park. In 2003 the State also allotted a similar park to Nellore district and it was established. The Nellore unit has even taken up manufacture of export quality leather products. Ironically, foundation stone for Karimnagar plant was not laid.

Of late the politicians of all hues have suddenly woken up to reality and are prepared to launch agitation. Already the Congress and the BJP had staged demonstrations. The BJP has constituted ‘sadhana’ committees comprising Dalits as the key participants and held round-table conferences.

The Congress also staged demonstrations at the place where the park is proposed to be set up. Now, even Dalit organisations have become active and taking part in agitation.

The speculation that the government is preparing to shit the park to Station Ghanpu in Janagaon district is the immediate provocation for political parties to launch agitation. Plans are afoot to intensify agitation.

Interestingly, the land set apart for the park was allotted to the police battalion in 2008. Foundation stone had been laid to establish a complex for the police battalion, but the work on the project came to a grinding halt following the agitation by Dalit organisation. Now, the government has allotted land for police battalion in Sircilla district. But, the leather park issue is still hanging in balance.

Katakam Mrutunjayam, Karimnagar District Congress Committee president, told The Hans India that the move to shift the proposed leather park cannot be accepted. ‘We will organise agitation under the banner of Leather Park Sadhana Samiti.

There is no meaning in the BJP launching a struggle. It is unable to take advantage of the party being in power at the centre. The party is trying to take the people for a ride in the name of agitation. But the congress is going to intensify war’.

On the other hand, Kotha Srinivas Reddy, BJP district chief, claims that Karimnagar did not gain anything after the re-organisation of districts. He said as the park would provide jobs to local youth the party would strive to block its shifting, while accusing the TRS government of failing to do anything worthwhile for the district during the last three years. ‘Our party is getting ready for an intensified agitation’.

By Ch Gopalakrishna

Show Full Article
Print Article
Next Story
More Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENTS