GITAM encroached upon government lands in Vizag, says YSRC MLA

Visakhapatnam: YSRC MLA Gudivada Amarnath said that officials have taken appropriate action against the GITAM deemed to be university for encroaching government lands and, brushing aside allegations from leaders of the opposition, added that this doesn't mean that the state government is being vindictive towards the TDP.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, the MLA said that GITAM, which belongs to the son-in-law of TDP MLA and film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, has encroached upon 40 acres of government lands that are worth Rs 800 crore. He said that during TDP’s rule, Chandrababu Naidu gave away valuable lands in Visakhapatnam to his friends and family and among them was for GITAM. Later, it was revealed in a preliminary inquiry by the revenue officials that GITAM had encroached government lands and the officials took appropriate action.

“While the state government is responsible for safeguarding the lands and taking action against illegal encroachments, the opposition leaders are spreading false propaganda stating that the government is being vindictive. The previous government failed to take action on land encroachments in Visakhapatnam and didn’t make the SIT report public. But unlike the TDP government, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has constituted an SIT to investigate the land scams in Visakhapatnam and will take action based on the report,” said MLA Amarnath.

He said that all those in the TDP politburo were highly corrupt and that the party had given its president post to Atchannaidu who was involved in the ESI scam. He alleged that only those who had taken over the encroached lands were being given posts in the TDP.

Speaking at the same press conference, Pendurthi MLA Adeep Raj said that the GITAM institute, which was named after Mahatma Gandhi, is now following Godse, by involving in illegal activities. He said that people are happy about valuable land being taken back by the government.