Malkajgiri BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Eatala Rajender staged a dharna in Hasmathpet on Sunday (June 28) alleging that the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) is selectively targeting the poor through demolition drives. He also accused the Telangana government of misusing the agency to demolish homes without addressing the role of land grabbers involved in illegal layouts.
Mr. Rajender visited the demolition site a day after HYDRAA cleared 10 acres of government land which was encroached in Hasmathpet, Balanagar mandal of Medchal Malkajgiri district. The land value is estimated to be about ₹750 crore.
Speaking to the residents affected by the demolition, the BJP MP demanded an inquiry into the ownership of the disputed land. Mr. Rajender said there were conflicting claims over the ownership of land in Survey No. 1, with some claiming it belonged to the Archaeology department while others maintaining it was government land and also some asserting it was private property. “It should have been the responsibility of the Revenue department to establish the actual ownership before any demolition was undertaken,” he said.
He further added that HYDRAA was initially expected to protect lakes, nalas and government lands from encroachments by land grabbers but the focus instead has turned towards demolishing houses built by economically weaker sections. Mr. Rajender alleged that demolition was deliberately carried out on a Saturday and in the evening when courts were closed, preventing affected families from seeking legal relief.
“Many affected residents had purchased 60-square-yard plots after years of hardwork and sacrifice and questioned where they were expected to go after losing their homes. Some residents had even been paying property tax. The government should have acted against those who originally developed and sold the disputed layouts rather than demolishing houses of purchasers,” he added.
He demanded that the government identify genuine beneficiaries who had purchased plots in good faith, issue them permanent ownership certificates wherever legally permissible, and instead prosecute brokers, encroachers and officials responsible for illegal land transactions. If the land was found to be government property, he said the authorities should recover money from those who sold the plots and take action against those responsible.
Published – June 28, 2026 06:43 pm IST