Khammam demolitions: Telangana hits out at Kerala CM for 'bulldozer raj' diatribe

Hyderabad: A major political row has erupted between Telangana and Kerala over the large-scale demolitions in Khammam district.

Telangana Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy accused Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of launching "political propaganda" to mislead the public.

The Dispute: Allegations of 'Bulldozer Raj'

The row started after CM Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the demolition of nearly 700 homes in Khammam’s Velugumatla village.

Vijayan, in a social media post, alleged that the move left approximately 3,000 people homeless and claimed it mirrored the "bulldozer raj" model often associated with the BJP, thereby exposing the "true face" of the Congress in Telangana.

In a pointed rebuttal, Minister Reddy asserted that the Kerala CM’s intervention was a move for "political gain" and defended the administration’s actions as strictly legal:

Land Mafia Crackdown:

Reddy clarified that the land in question was Bhoodan land that had been illegally sold to unsuspecting families by land mafias using forged documents.

Commitment to Rehousing:

The Minister pledged that the government would provide proper housing to the displaced poor through the Indiramma Indlu scheme and would force the land mafia to refund the victims' money.

Asset Protection: He maintained that the demolitions were necessary to safeguard public assets for future generations and were conducted according to local regulations.

Background: What is Bhoodan Land?

The controversy centers on "Bhoodan lands," which hold deep historical significance in India’s land reform movement.

The Movement: Started in 1951 by Acharya Vinoba Bhave in Pochampally (now in Telangana), the Bhoodan (Land Gift) movement urged wealthy landowners to voluntarily give a portion of their land to the landless poor.

Legal Status: These lands were donated under the Bhoodan Yagna Act. The ownership remains vested in the Bhoodan Board, and the land is intended solely for the use of the landless poor as allotted by the board.

The Current Conflict: Over decades, large tracts of Bhoodan land have become prime real estate. In many areas, including Khammam, "land mafias" have allegedly encroached upon these plots, created fraudulent titles, and sold them to low-income buyers who are often unaware of the land's restricted legal status.

Political Fallout

The exchange marks a rare public spat between two major non-BJP state governments. Minister Reddy concluded his defense by urging the Kerala leadership to respect the "local conditions and legal frameworks" of Telangana, using the hashtag #FactsOverPolitics to dismiss the "Bulldozer Raj" label as a narrative tool.

Original Congress cadre in Khammam

Those who have been associated with the Congress before the Bharat Rashtra Samithi joined the Congress party are very upset with these demolitions. A Congress worker from Khammam says, "The people are homeless, and that is a fact. Many of them built homes with their hard-earned money, and they are now completely demolished. People are homeless. We, who are the original Congress workers on the ground are not have any say. People are upset with us, and those who are from the BRS who have joined the Congress are under the clout of the minister."

According to sources, the Congress cadre has reached out to their counterparts in the neighbouring state of Karnataka to bring to the notice of New Delhi the happenings in Khammam.