When we fought for the welfare of backward classes, why would we grab their land? asks Etela's wife Jamuna

Etela Jamuna, wife of former Telangana health minister Etela Rajender, on Sunday dismissed allegations of her husband taking over the land of backward sections of society.

While speaking to reporters on the controversy surrounding Jamuna Hatcheries, Etela Jamuna said, "When he (Etela Rajender) has fought for the well-being of the backward classes, why would he grab land from the same poor and backward classes?"

She said people of the state are laughing and worried about "What the Telangana government is trying to prove about Etela Rajender and his family." She said they do not hold any land apart from what they have bought. She challenged the government to prove the contrary.

She said, "Even during a Covid pandemic, the government is trying to put the blame of land grabbing on a health minister who worked for the welfare of the people of Telangana."

She also slammed a newspaper for its allegation that Rajender grabbed 1,530 acres of land in Devarayamjal. She said, "The newspaper must be ashamed of writing without fact-checking."

"In 2007 when the Beverage Corporation requested for a godown, we constructed one for them. The current government in order to stop the income that we receive from the godown is trying to vacate the godown," she alleged.

"The government has fallen to such depths that I don't have words to describe it. We are capable of earning our living. Even if we lose everything we can work hard and can rebuild everything that we have lost and we are not afraid of all these atrocities happening against us. We have not committed any sin...Plans are being made from the Pragati Bhawan to create trouble for Etela Rajender," she said.

"We are not opposed to conducting a survey. We have just requested them to make sure that the survey is conducted in our presence," she said adding that the people of Telangana will give a befitting reply to the government at the proper time for betraying Etela Rajender "even after calling him a brother".

She questioned the presence of police at her residence. "Why are there police posted around the house. Are we terrorists?" she asked.

Etela Rajender was earlier removed from his position as health minister after newsreports allegedly stated that he was involved in land grabbing in Telangana.

( With inputs from ANI )