Hyderabad: Senior BJP leaders and MPs from Telangana met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to raise concerns about the state government’s plan to auction 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli. The land is reportedly claimed by Hyderabad Central University (HCU), and the BJP leaders alleged that the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) is trying to take over the land illegally using heavy machinery.
Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, along with MPs Eatala Rajender, Konda Visveshwar Reddy, Dharmapuri Aravind, and Godam Nagesh, asked the Union Minister to intervene. They urged him to direct Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to stop the auction, protect the environment, and find other ways for the state to earn revenue.
Kishan Reddy said that HCU is an important institution, especially as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. He stressed the importance of preserving green areas for research and university expansion.
The HCU Registrar disagreed with TGIIC’s claim that the land belongs to the state government. He pointed out that there has been no official survey or marking of boundaries. He also mentioned that any transfer of university land must be approved by the University Executive Committee Council, which is appointed by the President of India.
More than 22,000 people have signed a petition against the land auction. Environmentalists, students, professors, and animal lovers have asked the government to stop the process, but say their voices are being ignored. BJP leaders criticized the Congress-led state government for using JCB machines day and night, saying it threatens the environment and wildlife.
Kishan Reddy also accused the government of using force against peaceful student protesters. He said there were reports of lathi charges, illegal arrests, and female students being detained. Videos have surfaced online showing peacocks, deer, and other animals fleeing the area, which activists say proves environmental damage. The area is home to 700 types of plants, medicinal herbs, and rare star tortoises listed as endangered.
However, the state government denied these claims, saying the videos were old and being used to falsely accuse them. They claimed that no animals or birds have been harmed.
The BJP leaders said they plan to take the matter further by meeting the Union Minister of Environment and Forests and bringing it up in Parliament. They promised to support HCU students and defend the university’s land and biodiversity. The BJP also stated that the issue had been settled in 2006 in favor of HCU. But the Telangana government argued that the matter was resolved only last year when the court ruled in its favor.
