Senior Congress leaders, including former PCC chief V. Hanmanth Rao and G. Niranjan, visited the Kali Matha temple in the old city where the allegations of land grabbing were levelled.
The leaders accompanied by Congress leaders from the old city and enquired with the locals. A statement said the locals informed the Congress delegation that the lands were saved all these days due to relentless efforts of Congress leaders Panduranga Rao and Ashok. The Endowment Department officials, however, were not taking any action against the encroachments now.
Mr. Niranjan said the PCC leaders submitted a memorandum to the Endowments Department in March 2020 to safeguard the temple lands but they failed to act. He said the police too favoured the land grabbers and in fact provided security to them.
Mr. Niranjan said the locals wanted the government to take over the land for construction of double bedroom houses rather than it be taken over by the land sharks. He said the temple was refurbished during the Chenna Reddy government and when Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy was the Chief Minister he thawrted the MIM efforts to meddle with Diwali celebrations at the temple.
