PNS|Hyderabad
Senior BRS MLA Harish Rao launched a no-holds-barred attack on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and BJP MPs, accusing them of surrendering Telangana’s water rights to Andhra Pradesh, failing farmers.
He also accused the government of pushing its employees into despair.
Addressing a press conference in Dubbaka on Thursday, Harish ridiculed the Congress leadership for what he called their “Goebbelian lies” and declared that the BRS would approach the Supreme Court if the TG government failed to act on the illegal Godavari Lift Irrigation Project at Banakacharla.
He slammed the silence of BJP MPs and Union Ministers, questioning why they were not protesting the Godavari water theft.
“Chandrababu is being shielded by the KRMB, and the BJP is acting blind,” he said, calling for a stop to both the Banakacharla and Srisailam Right Bank Canal lining works.
He called Uttam Kumar Reddy more deceitful than Revanth Reddy himself. “We thought Revanth was the brand ambassador of lies, but Uttam has outdone him,” he said, describing the Congress handling of the irrigation portfolio as negligent and irresponsible.
Harish said that despite massive water availability, the Congress Government used the lowest quantity of Krishna waters in the state’s history and betrayed farmers by not releasing water to six-and-a-half lakh acres.
“Instead of fighting for our rightful share, Uttam went to Vijayawada, ate snacks with Chandrababu and came back silent,” he said, questioning why the government didn’t raise the Banakacharla Project at the Cabinet meeting.
“Was there no time, or was the agenda filled with discussions on kickbacks and cuts for the high command?” he asked.
He said Telangana used 65 TMCs less of its temporary allocation and demanded that Uttam should explain why the state failed to move the Supreme Court, approach the Centre, or raise the matter with NITI Aayog.
“Why is the government acting like a mute spectator when Andhra Pradesh is siphoning off 400 TMCs of Godavari water without Apex Committee or tribunal approval?” he asked.
Harish dared the government to lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi or protest at the Jantar Mantar. “If not, we in the BRS will go to the Supreme Court. We remain committed to our word,” he declared.
Turning to Ghandhamalla, Harish lashed out at Revanth for his contradiction. “You mock Kaleshwaram as a collapsed project, but then inaugurate Ghandhamalla, which depends on the same project for water. How will water reach there if the Kaleshwaram is dead?” he asked.
He described Revanth’s statements on the Musi-Godavari connection as absurd. “You are trying to portray two sunk pillars as a collapsed project. If you had the will, it could have been repaired in two months,” he added.
Harish also accused the Congress government of betraying government employees.
“The first Cabinet promised to give legal backing to the six guarantees. What law have they brought in so far?” he asked. He said only one DA was released, while five remain pending. “This is the only state in India where five DAs are stuck. And for this, they debated for five hours,” he said.
Mocking the government for constituting three committees just to clear one DA, Harish accused them of using ACB cases to harass staff. He reminded that KCR had given 73 per cent PRC fitment, the highest in India. “You promised a better PRC. Where is it? You set up committees and bought time.”
On the panchayat front, Harish said there isn’t a single panchayat secretary today without a loan burden. “They are running gram panchayats with loans. In KCR’s time, Telangana won awards. Under Congress, not even one,” he said.
Harish demanded the immediate disbursal of three DAs, reinstatement of the old pension scheme, and a better PRC than the one during BRS rule.
