Date:10/06/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/06/10/stories/2005061005720500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

`Furore over temple land scam needless'

Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI: The Government Chief Whip, N. Kirankumar Reddy, on Thursday launched a strident attack on the Opposition leader and former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, for creating a `needless furore' over the temple land issue though hardly 11 acres of land worth Rs. 50 to 60 lakhs was involved in the scam.

He told reporters that the transaction over the said land had been kept pending. He also said that even before the media started publishing news about the scam (from May 31) he ordered an ACB enquiry on May 26 to get at the truth.

Mr. Reddy also tried to turn the tables against Mr. Chandrababu Naidu by levelling a serious allegation that it was he who had `amassed' 1,500 acres of land in Hyderabad on binami names. It was like the pot calling the kettle black, Mr. Reddy said.