Protests escalate in Visakhapatnam over alleged govt. land regularisation in favour of GITAM institutions

Protests by members of the YSR Congress Party, CPI and CPI(M) continued on Saturday over the alleged regularisation of 54 acres of government land, valued at about ₹5,000 crore, in favour of GITAM Educational Institutions, owned by Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat.

Addressing a press conference, YSRCP GVMC floor leader Banala Srinivasa Rao alleged that the sole objective of the GVMC council meeting held on January 30 was to benefit GITAM Institutions linked to Mr. Sribharat. He said that despite repeated requests to drop the agenda, Mayor Peela Srinivasa Rao approved it without any discussion. The Mayor appeared determined to hand over government land to the Vizag MP, he alleged.

“The public must know what share the Mayor and MLAs have received in this land scam,” Mr. Srinivasa Rao said.

He further alleged that when YSRCP corporators questioned the issue, TDP corporators attacked them, which he said was an insult to democracy. He denied allegations that YSRCP corporators attacked the Mayor and described them as an attempt to divert public attention.

“The YSRCP corporators were physically attacked. This is one of the most disgraceful incidents in the history of the GVMC council and an attempt to suppress the voice of the people. Efforts were made to hide the violence by disabling CCTV cameras in the council hall. We demand that the CCTV footage be released to the public immediately,” he said.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao also pointed out that not a single council meeting in the last five years had been held without media presence. “By barring the media, it is evident that the NDA leaders are trying to hide the truth from the public,” he alleged.

Deputy Mayor K. Satish said the YSRCP would not stop its fight against the land issue and would pursue legal action if required, following directions from senior party leaders.

YSRCP corporators have also submitted a representation to GVMC officials, demanding that the council meeting held on January 30 be declared illegal.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) corporator B. Ganga Rao and CPI corporator A. J. Stalin staged a sit-in in front of the GVMC office, demanding that the Mayor and officials scrap the approved agenda. CPI activists also staged a dharna, condemning the decision to allot government land to a private educational institution owned by a TDP MP.