Nara Lokesh calls for stir against 'bauxite mafia'

Mangalagiri: TDP national general secretary and MLC Nara Lokesh on Friday strongly objected to the manner in which the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government obstructed the TDP leaders when they were going to unearth details about the illegal bauxite mining mafia in the name of laterite excavations in the Visakhapatnam forests.

Lokesh said that the Chief Minister's close relatives were all set to start the illegal bauxite mining in the thick forests on the borders of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari. Jagan Reddy's brothers YV Vikranth Reddy and Y S Anil Reddy had set their sights on earning Rs 15,000 crore in the unlawful bauxite mining, he alleged.

In a statement here, Lokesh decried the detention of the TDP senior leaders and activists at Routhulapudi when they were on their way to check the illegal mining activities in the forest area. The TDP undertook this fact-finding visit only after reports appeared in the media about the audio leak of Lava Kumar Reddy, who was the righthand man for Vikranth Reddy and Anil Reddy. Lava Kumar had talked about the plans of the Chief Minister's brothers to make Rs 15,000 crore in bauxite mining.

He said that the mafia had cut down trees in the forest area and laid a road exclusively to undertake bauxite mining after taking permission only for laterite.

He called the TDP leaders on telephone and enquired about the problems being created by the police. He said that the AP police had once again shown their true colours by obstructing the TDP team.

Lokesh called upon the TDP leaders and activists to agitate along with the local tribals against illegal bauxite mining in the name of laterite.