Hyderabad: BRS MLC Dr. Dasoju Sravan on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, accusing him of behaving like a “licensed land grabber” and attempting to sell university lands under the pretext of development.
Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, Sravan strongly condemned the Chief Minister’s move to sell university lands while holding the Education portfolio. He termed the decision highly deplorable, unethical, and anti-people, alleging that the government was engaging in what he described as licensed loot.
Sravan claimed that Revanth Reddy was personally involved in attempts to take control of thousands of acres by portraying land sales as development initiatives. He described the reported move to grab 50 acres belonging to the Urdu University as shameful and unacceptable. He further alleged that notices had even been served for lands belonging to the Indian School of Business.
University land sale poses direct threat to education sector
The BRS leader asserted that a Chief Minister did not need to sell lands to sustain or glorify his position. He said that if Revanth Reddy was incapable of governing the state without selling university lands, he should step down immediately. Sravan declared that anyone else could govern the state better and said that a leader attempting to sell educational lands was unfit to hold the office of Chief Minister.
Questioning the decision-making process, Sravan asked whether the issue had even been discussed in the Cabinet. He likened the Chief Minister’s actions to those of a gardener selling land at will and termed the move a direct assault on the education sector. Warning of public backlash, he said that people would never forgive what he described as an attack on Goddess Saraswathi.
Targeting the Congress party’s claims of supporting minorities, Sravan questioned the government’s silence on issues affecting Urdu language and Urdu students. He urged the Muslim community to oppose the move.
He demanded immediate withdrawal of the notice issued to the Urdu University and called upon the Chief Minister and ministers to stop all real estate dealings. Stating that BRS had earlier supported students during the Kanche-Gachibowli land issue, he said the party would stand firmly with the Urdu University to protect its land.
Sravan also opposed the very idea of selling university lands, stating that while the government could sell land elsewhere, educational institutions must not be touched. He said the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, which runs 26 academic departments, already suffered from land scarcity and demanded that at least ₹1,000 crore be allocated for its development.
