Hyderabad: Revenue and housing minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Sunday assured Dalits and tribals that Telangana govt would not take even an inch of their land and urged them not to believe in what he termed as malicious propaganda by the opposition, aimed at creating fear over land rights.
Ponguleti said Congress govts in the past had distributed around 25 lakh acres to Dalits in the Telangana region, especially during the Indira Gandhi-led govt and had also granted rights over nearly two lakh acres of Podu land to tribal communities. Long-pending land issues had been resolved in 15 revenue villages in Nutanakal and Maddirala areas of Suryapet district and in Narayanapuram village of Kesamudram mandal in Mahabubabad district, he added.
In a statement, the minister said the Congress-led govt had no policy of snatching land from the communities and would instead provide complete protection to their land rights. He said Congress had historically worked for the landless and weaker sections through land reforms and distribution of land. He said the ongoing verification of land records, surveys and resolution of land disputes should not be misconstrued as attempts to acquire land. The objective, he said, was to establish ownership, resolve disputes and protect existing rights. The minister alleged that certain “feudal elements” were deliberately spreading misinformation to create unrest among Dalits for political gains. He said re-surveys were being undertaken to identify the actual status of lands and grant rights to eligible Dalits and tribals. Ponguleti said securing land rights would enable beneficiaries to access govt schemes and other benefits, reiterating that govt led by chief minister A Revanth Reddy stood firmly with the Dalit and tribal families.
He urged people to verify facts before believing such claims.