Alleging that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has allocated Bayyaram Mines to the Visakha Steel Plant for political gain in contravention of Fifth Schedule of Constitution, senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ch. Vidyasagar Rao demanded that Governor ESL Narasimhan intervene in the matter immediately.
Speaking to the media in the State party office here on Thursday, the BJP leader said the Chief Minister, keeping in view the ensuing elections, brought to the fore the slogan of “Andhras’ right over Bayyaram Steel” giving rise to regional passions. He said the Bayyaram Mines come under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution and the tribals of the area alone would have total right on the mineral resources.
Vidyasagar Rao lamented that the Governor and his office remained mute spectators when the war of words was going on between the Telangana and Andhra regions and between the peoples of both the regions. He also asserted that nobody has any right to transfer the lands belonging to the tribals and this was clearly stated in the Samata judgement. He also condemned the remarks made by PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana over Bayyaram Mines issue.
The BJP leader recalled that an unofficial discussion was held on Telangana in 1953 in then Hyderabad State and it was unanimously decided that the people of both regions could part ways whenever they wanted. He also lashed out at the Samaikyandhrfa Andhra leaders for bringing out a book on integrated State with 101 lies. He also condemned the attack on journalists in the presence of a retired police officer on the occasion. (NSS)
