Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has said the demolition of the convention centre co-owned by actor Nagarjuna Akkineni is proper under the teachings of Lord Krishna in Bhagwad Gita. His government, he added, would not spare anyone who encroached upon lakes, no matter how influential they are.
Bhagavad Gita is an inspiration to demolish illegal structures, the Chief Minister said at a function by the Hare Krishna Movement. Lord Krishna taught that for the good of the people, one should follow dharma in order to defeat adharma, even if it means battle with one’s friends, he said.
Properties of Congress leaders Pallam Raju and Danam Nagender have already been brought down by HYDRA. Demolitions are expected across party lines.
“Arjuna had wanted to back out from the war, saying what is the point if i have to kill my own? But Krishna says for the larger good, for dharma to win over adharma, you must fight. That is what i am trying to do, going ahead with demolitions to save lakes though i know i will upset many people who can impact my government adversely,” Mr Reddy said.
“We have a duty to protect Hyderabad to stop it from becoming another Chennai, Uttarakhand or Wayanad,” he added.
The Congress government has taken up demolitions of illegal structures built in full tank level of water bodies by the HYDRAA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection).
The N-Convention Centre — demolished among others by the officials of the HYDRAA, Town planning, irrigation and revenue departments on Saturday — was allegedly built on encroached land which is part of Tammidikunta lake. The matter is pending in court, which had ordered a freeze on the demolition.
The move was strongly condemned by Nagarjuna, who claimed it was “unlawful”. He said he would have demolished the structure himself if the court had decided against him.
The N-Convention is built in the FTL /Buffer zone and has no building permission, a government release had said.
Mr Reddy also said some of the farmhouses built near lakes release sewer into water bodies such as Gandipet which supply drinking water to parts of the city. He would not be a true public representative if he failed to protect the lakes and interests of people, he added.
The municipal authorities have issued notices to 225 row houses belonging to Telugu cine artists in Manikonda.
Harish Rao, leader of Bharat Rashtra Samithi, said it is an attempt to target opposiiton leaders, to pressurise them to join the Congress. Colleges belonging to BRS leaders Palla Rajeswar Rao and Malla Reddy could face action.
“It is a diversionary tactic. Will they demolish the structures belonging to Ponguleti Srinivas, Patnam Mahender Reddy and other Congress leaders?” he said.
The city’s chain of lakes were designed by the erstwhile Nizam administration after a great deluge in 1908 with the help of famous engineer Mokshagundam Vishvesvaraya.
