Congress MLA questions BRS's Double Standards on Land Acquisition

Hyderabad: Government Whip Adluri Laxman Kumar has leveled sharp criticism against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), accusing the party of adopting double standards on the land acquisition and rehabilitation.

Speaking to the media at the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) office here on Tuesday, Dharmapuri MLA Adluri Laxman Kumar alleged that during the previous BRS government, former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao had failed to address the plight of land-displaced farmers.

He highlighted the forceful acquisition of lands for the Kaleshwaram project, claiming that farmers were coerced into surrendering their properties without fair compensation.

"Land valued at Rs.30 lakh per acre was taken from farmers without providing adequate compensation. In Dharmapuri constituency alone, 2,000 acres were taken from farmers," he said.

The Dharmapuri MLA also mentioned that during the BRS government, opposition leaders were placed under house arrest to prevent them from meeting the displaced farmers.

"Those who speak about the displaced now have no moral right to do so," he stated, pointing out that during KCR's regime, over 28,000 illegal constructions were identified along the Hyderabad canals, an issue that went unaddressed," he pointed out.

On the topic of the Musi River rehabilitation, Kumar stated that residents had voluntarily vacated the riverbed, and the current government is providing double-bedroom houses for those displaced.

"BRS leaders are attempting to incite the displaced families for political gain. Our government is not obstructing any opposition leaders, unlike the BRS government, which locked the gates of the Kaleshwaram project to prevent media and opposition leaders," the Government Whip said.

In a broader critique, he accused BRS of misleading the public through social media campaigns, spending crores to propagate false information.

The Congress MLA also claimed there is internal strife within BRS leadership, with leaders like Harish Rao and KT Rama Rao competing for power.

"The people do not trust BRS anymore. The party has already met its downfall in both Assembly and Parliament elections," he concluded, adding that several former BRS leaders are now absent from the public eye.