Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Sunday, March 29, accused the Congress government of corruption and failing to act against illegal mining.
KTR alleged that Raghava Constructions, a company belonging to Telangana Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguletti Srinivas Reddy is involved in illegal mining. The Sircilla MLA questioned the government for not taking action against the company and demanded that the minister be removed from the Telangana cabinet.
KTR stated that the minister’s wife, son, and brother are directly linked to the company and that the minister himself served as its chairman between 2020 and 2022. He accused the Chief Minister of making contradictory and misleading statements, reflecting a lack of credibility.
The former Telangana minister said that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s strong defence of Raghava Constructions indicates his own involvement in the matter.
He cited the allocation of contracts under the Kodangal Lift Irrigation Project to the same company and raised concerns over large-scale land irregularities in the state involving the CM and his associates.
Questioning the government’s inaction, he asked why no action has been taken against the minister’s family company despite clear evidence. He highlighted that under law, a second notice in such cases can lead to imprisonment of up to one year, yet the government continues to protect the accused.
He also criticised the Mining Minister Gaddam Vivek Venkata Swamy for downplaying the issue as a mere Rs4 lakh matter.
KTR alleged that officials had detected violations worth Rs 32 lakh in a single day during inspections. He said this clearly indicates a much larger scam involving public resources over a prolonged period.
The Sircila MLA alleged that another company, Bhagyalakshmi Mining in Kokapet, is linked to a close relative of the Chief Minister. He questioned the discrepancy in mining revenues, stating that while the government claims increased revenue, only about Rs 900 crore is being realised instead of the expected Rs1,700–1,800 crore, raising serious concerns about diversion of funds.
BRS seeks inquiry into illegal mining in state
The former Telangana minister asked the government to constitute a committee to investigate the roles of the minister, the Chief Minister, and others involved. He recalled that in the past, similar allegations such as the Obulapuram mining case were probed through a House Committee, ensuring transparency.
He also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for not acting as a responsible opposition, alleging that its members appeared to support the government during Assembly proceedings. He said that despite informing the central government about several scams, there has been no response.
KTR further alleged that the minister and his family are involved in land grabbing and illegal activities, warning that BRS will not let the issue go.
On the Hyderabad Metro issue, KTR accused the Chief Minister of misleading the public by claiming that a Rs 22,000 crore asset was acquired for Rs 15,000 crore. He clarified that the 280 acres of land given for the Metro project belong to the government and were only leased, not transferred.
He stated that as per the agreement, the private company was to develop the land and eventually return it to the government. However, the current move effectively shifts a private company’s debt onto the people of Telangana, which he termed unacceptable.
KTR alleged that pressure and coercion are being used against L&T to take control of valuable land parcels and described the entire episode as a large-scale land scam aimed at capturing 280 acres of prime land in Hyderabad.
He pointed out that when the Metro expansion from Raidurgam to the airport was proposed earlier, the central government had raised no objections. The sudden change in stance now raises further questions, he said.
Calling it a “land scam blueprint,” KTR asserted that there is no public interest involved in the current decisions.
He demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting High Court judge into the entire matter. Reiterating BRS’s stand, he demanded the immediate dismissal of the minister. He warned that if the government does not respond, BRS will approach the Governor and intensify the agitation among the public.
KTR concluded by stating that as the principal opposition, BRS will not leave the issue and will take it to the people if necessary.
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