BJP National leader and Malkajgiri MP Eatela Rajender visited Velugumatla in Khammam on Saturday to support hundreds of poor families whose houses were recently demolished. He was accompanied by BJP State Treasurer Devaki Vasudeva Rao, state leader Dr. Sheelam Paparao and Khammam District President Nelluri Koteswara Rao. The demolition drive, conducted by revenue and municipal officials on lands identified as Bhoodan property, has triggered a major political controversy in the state. During the visit, MP Rajender walked through the debris and interacted with the victims, who are now struggling without a roof over their heads.
During his visit, the MP listened to heart-wrenching stories from the displaced residents. Many women broke down in tears, explaining that they had lived in Vinoba Navodaya Colony (Velugumatla) for nearly a decade, investing every rupee they earned into building small homes. They alleged that the administration used hundreds of police personnel to forcibly evict them without giving them enough time to even move their household belongings. Eatela Rajender comforted the victims, assuring them that the BJP would not let their struggle go unnoticed and would act as a “voice for the voiceless” against what he termed “administrative high-handedness.”
Addressing the media, MP Rajender launched a direct attack on the Congress government and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He questioned the logic of the “selective demolitions,” asking why the government is so quick to use bulldozers against the poor while turning a blind eye to massive land encroachments by influential leaders. He noted that the Bhoodan movement was originally started by Acharya Vinoba Bhave to provide land to the landless, yet today, the same land is being snatched away from the poor. He demanded the regularization of these plots for the eligible poor.
The BJP leader also dismissed the administration’s claims that the demolitions were purely a legal necessity following court orders. He argued that the government has a moral obligation to provide alternative housing before rendering people homeless. He further demanded that the Government immediately provide compensation and permanent housing to every family affected by the drive. Rajender warned that if the state government does not provide justice within a clear timeframe, the BJP would launch a massive state-wide agitation to protect the housing rights of the underprivileged.
Eatela Rajender has signaled that the BJP will continue to challenge the government on issues of social justice and land rights. As he left the colony, he promised the victims that he would take their issue to the notice of the Union Government and fight for their rights in every possible forum. Following the visit, Eatala Rajender, along with other BJP leaders Devaki Vasudeva Rao, Dr. Sheelam Papa Rao and Nelluri Koteswara Rao, organized a food distribution program (Annadanam) for the displaced victims.
Deputy Editor, Prime Post
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