Andhra CM is a modern Vinobha Bhave: Rosiah

Hyderabad, Dec 15 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who surrendered 310 acres of land belonging to him and his relatives, is a modern Vinobha Bhave, Legislative Affairs Minister K Rosaiah said today.

While Mr Rosiah hailed Dr Reddy as another Vinobha Bhave, the Bhoodan Movement leader, for distribution of vast tracts of land held by landlords to the poor, BJP Floor Leader G Kishan Reddy pooh-poohed the Congressmen for projecting the Chief Minister as a reincarnation of the noted freedom fighter.

''Had Vinobha Bhave been alive, he would have committed suicide on coming to know this,'' the BJP leader claimed while taking part in a short duration discussion on the land issue.

In his reaction, Mr Rosaiah said ''the Chief Minister is a modern Vinobha Bhave for us.'' He used the occasion to take a dig at the BJP for projecting Former Deputy Prime Minister and then Home Minister L K Advani as modern day Sardar Vallabhai Patel.

When Mr Rosaiah made an indirect reference to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh background of the BJP leader, Mr Kishen Reddy said ''I am proud to be an RSS worker.'' UNI SM RP RAI1936