Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday took exception to the comments of his predecessor and BRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao on the visit organised by the government to the damaged Medigadda barrage.
He also criticised the leader of the opposition for not attending the ongoing assembly session and instead taking part in a BRS meeting at Nalgonda when the crucial issue of irrigation was being discussed in the house.
Reddy, who spoke in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, objected to comments made by Rao at the Nalgonda public meeting on Tuesday in which he allegedly asked why the chief minister and others had visited the Medigadda barrage.
Rao had launched a blistering attack on the Congress government, accusing it of “handing over” projects on the Krishna River to the centre-constituted Krishna River Management Board, as well as failing to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the state’s farmers.
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) found in November last year that the Medigadda barrage has been severely compromised, rendering it useless unless fully renovated.
Reddy said the main opposition BRS should have joined the government-organised visit to the Medigadda barrage on Tuesday if it were concerned for the farmers and interested in addressing the problem.
“With Medigadda barrage suffering damage, can water be filled in it now,” the chief minister asked.
Medigadda barrage forms part of the mega Kaleshwaram project.
Reddy slammed Rao, saying the former chief minister is unable to face the people after the Rs 94,000 crore spent on Kaleshwaram “went waste” as the barrage cannot be filled with water due to the damage it sustained.
KCR escaping accountability: Revanth
Accusing Rao of trying to escape accountability over the damage to the barrage by tapping into the people’s sentiments, Reddy said the public had already given their verdict by voting the BRS out of government.
The Congress government will table a white paper on irrigation projects, the chief minister said.
Challenging Rao to a debate on the issue, he said the opposition party should get its leader to attend the assembly. “The government is ready for a discussion,” he said.
Srihari objects to Revanth’s language
BRS MLA Kadiam Srihari responded saying his party would participate in the debate when the white paper is tabled, but objected to the language used by the chief minister, saying he should exercise restraint.
Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu responded to the MLA saying Leader of Opposition Chandrasekhar Rao, also known as KCR, should also stand as an example on restrained speech. “KCR is an experienced leader,” Sridhar Babu commented.
Talking to reporters at the BRS office later, Srihari claimed they were prevented from meeting the press in the assembly, with barricades erected on the way. “Congress makes tall claims about safeguarding democracy, but barricades were installed in the assembly premises,” he alleged.
The ruling Congress and main opposition BRS have been engaged in a war of words over irrigation issues in the state, particularly the state of the Medigadda barrage and the cost of the Kaleshwaram project, in the past several days.
