YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP P. Mithun Reddy said he would fight back false allegations of forest land encroachment against his family by the coalition government in Andhra Pradesh.
The Lok Sabha member from Rajampet alleged that TDP-led government has been resorting to vindictive politics by running a smear campaign.
He told mediapersons in Delhi on Thursday that it has become a habit for Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his friendly media to target YSRCP leaders. “Our family has been targeted with false allegations that we have encroached forest land. This is a blatant lie,” said Mithun Reddy.
Mithun Reddy was reacting to allegations against his father and former minister P. Ramachandra Reddy that he grabbed forest land in Pulicherla mandal of Chittoor district.
Denying that it is a forest land, he claimed that they have all the documents and clearances from the competent authorities. He said that TDP and its friendly media have been spinning false allegations without being backed by proper evidence.
He said they purchased the land in 2001 and a Gazette was issued in 1968 itself that it is not a forest land. The land was bought at Rs 4 lakh per acre and the total value was Rs 3 crore.
“Mr Chandrababu Naidu, who hails from our own Chittoor district and is a contemporary to our father in politics, has been resorting to vindictive politics,” he said.
The YSRCP MP demanded that the coalition should prove the allegations on the land title failing which they should apologize. “Such cheap tactics will not deter us and we come back with rejuvenated force and take on the coalition for pushing such false news. Earlier also they have made false allegations against us on Madanapalle files issue and nothing was proved,” he said.
Ramachandra Reddy, who is YSRCP MLA from Punganur, has already rubbished the allegations and called it an “orchestrated negative campaign”.
The former minister insisted that the 75 acres of private property had been purchased in 2001. The Director of Settlements had, in 1981, declared the said piece as “not a forest land,” he claimed. The road leading to his estate, though falling in the middle of the forest, had been laid with the permission of the Central government, Ramachandra Reddy said.
Meanwhile, YSRCP Chittoor District President and former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said on Thursday that the allegations against Ramachandra Reddy are completely baseless and politically motivated.
He strongly condemned the false reports published by a certain section of the media, alleging illegal encroachment of forest land by Ramachandra Reddy.
