Minister D. Sridhar Babu Addresses Land Acquisition Confusion

Minister for Information Technology and Industries, D. Sridhar Babu, visited the Sri Sharada Peetham located in Kokapet on Sunday amid ongoing controversy regarding land acquisition. During his visit, he acknowledged that confusion had arisen due to a lack of clarity in the information surrounding the issue, but he affirmed that there was no dispute regarding the ownership of the land.

The minister inspected the Rajashyamala Ammavari temple and various ongoing construction projects at the site. Following his assessment, he held discussions with Swatmanandendra Saraswati Swamiji, the Peethadhipathi, to address the concerns directly. In remarks to the media, Sridhar Babu stated that the land indeed belonged to the peetham, and the matter was resolved after the relevant facts were presented to the government.

“There was no intention to create any difficulty. Once the matter came to our attention, necessary corrections were made,” he explained. He emphasized the state government’s commitment to treating all religions with equal respect and assured support for the developmental and spiritual initiatives of Sri Sharada Peetham. The minister also highlighted that steps would be implemented to prevent similar misunderstandings in the future.

Political Context and Public Concerns

During his address, Sridhar Babu alleged that certain leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (BRS) were attempting to politicize the land acquisition issue. He reiterated that the government’s primary focus is to safeguard public lands from encroachment and dismissed claims that it was promoting a “bulldozer culture” in land management practices.

In discussing future development plans, particularly at Bapu Ghat, he assured that decisions would be made in accordance with public opinion. He urged citizens not to fall prey to misinformation about the government’s intentions and actions.

By addressing the confusion and asserting the integrity of the land ownership, D. Sridhar Babu aimed to restore confidence in the government’s approach to land management while fostering a climate of cooperation and transparency between the state and religious institutions.