Senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao welcomed the State government’s decision to form a five-member panel to suggest changes to the Dharani portal. However, he criticized the portal for benefiting land-grabbers and wheeler-dealers instead of supporting the poor, as claimed by former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
VHR, who has been demanding the abolition of Dharani, stated that the scheme should be held responsible for the encroachment of lands that were distributed to the poor during the previous Congress government. He mentioned that around 96 acres of land given to poor families in Keesara Daira in 1981 had been lost due to a massive scam.
In response to the formation of the new committee, Hanumantha Rao submitted a representation demanding justice for those who lost their lands. He explained that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had allocated 94 acres of land to 10 poor SC families in Keesara Daira in 1981. However, the current situation contradicts the principles of Indira Gandhi, as the lands of poor Dalits have been grabbed on a large scale. Hanumantha Rao expressed shock at the reality on the ground, with realtors developing ventures and selling villas at Rs 3.5 crore each after encroaching on the lands with the help of revenue officials.
