Hyderabad: IT and industries minister

D Sridhar Babu

on Saturday accused the main opposition BRS of being behind the use of AI to mislead the people and students of the

University of Hyderabad

(UoH). A fawn that died in Rajasthan nine years ago was claimed to have died on the contentious 400-acre land at Kancha Gachibowli, he said.
"They even used AI to show elephants roaming the campus. Some of the BRS leaders have become enemies of the state's welfare. They are using social media to conspire against the incumbent govt and prevent the progress of Telangana," the minister alleged at a media conference in Gandhi Bhavan, showing the original and AI-generated videos and pictures.
On the valuation of the 400-acre land, Sridhar Babu said contrary to KTR's claim that Rs 5,200 crore worth of land was shown as Rs 30,000 crore, a survey by the Security Bureau of India pegged the value at Rs 23,000 crore. Regulatory bodies such as SEBI and the RBI confirmed the process. ICICI Bank did not provide a loan, as alleged by KTR, the minister said.
Sridhar Babu said on December 5, 2024, the govt raised Rs 9,995 crore through mutual investment bonds issued via the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) at a competitive 9.35 per cent interest rate. A SEBI-registered merchant banker was appointed for the process. These funds came from 37 international companies.

"These funds were used for public welfare, including Rs 2,146 crore for farm loan waivers, Rs 5,463 crore for the Rythu Bharosa farmer assurance scheme, and Rs 947 crore for supplying fine rice. The previous BRS govt borrowed at 10.09 per cent from REC, PFC, and Bank of Baroda, whereas the incumbent Congress govt secured funding at a lower interest rate," he said.
The minister reiterated that the debenture trustee confirmed that the 400-acre land belongs to the govt, and there were no pending legal disputes after the Supreme Court said the Telangana govt was the owner. "In fact, the Congress govt saved the land from going to a private company and won a legal battle for the govt to win back its land," he said.
"Why is the BRS envious of the Congress govt, which is working for the welfare of the people and Telangana? Were environmental concerns forgotten when the BRS govt revoked GO 111, putting twin reservoirs at risk? Under the Haritha Haram, Rs 10,000 crore was spent, but there's no visible increase in greenery. As many as 207 mature trees were felled for the new secretariat construction, and not even one was replanted elsewhere. Wasn't 8,000 acres of forest land cleared for the Kaleshwaram project? Between 2016 and 2019, a total of 12.12 lakh trees were felled in violation of regulations—a fact acknowledged by the Central govt in the Lok Sabha," Minister Sridhar Babu alleged.
Responding to BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind's comments that the AICC was planning to replace chief minister A Revanth Reddy, Sridhar Babu said: "Revanth Reddy would continue to be the CM. He has been delivering corruption-free governance. An unnecessary issue is being created in connection with Meenakshi Natarajan attending a meeting in the secretariat. Any citizen, including BRS and BJP leaders, can come to the secretariat as it belongs to all."