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KCR Plans Mass Movement Over Telangana Irrigation Projects
K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who leads the BRS, says his party will protest against the Telangana Congress government.
The protests will focus on two large irrigation projects.
The BRS says water from the Kaleshwaram project could be released but is not being used for farmers.
It also says the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy project was mostly completed earlier but has not been finished.
The Congress government has said repairs to Kaleshwaram’s barrages should follow dam-safety recommendations.
BRS members will bring many other complaints to the Assembly, including farm loans, drought, land restrictions and unpaid student fees.
The BRS wants the Assembly session to last a month.
Congress has criticized KCR for not attending regularly, while the BRS says he is avoiding what it calls abusive treatment.
BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao plans mass agitations over alleged Congress neglect of the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Ranga Reddy projects.
BRS leader T. Harish Rao alleged that water could be released from Kaleshwaram but is not being supplied to farmers.
The BRS says the previous government completed about 80% of Palamuru-Ranga Reddy and that unfinished work could provide 60 TMC of water.
BRS legislators will raise farmer, loan-waiver, drought, fee-reimbursement, employee-dues and land-registration issues during the Assembly session.
The BRS wants the session, beginning Monday, extended to one month; Congress has criticized KCR’s absence and demanded his resignation.
- Who
- BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, BRS MLA T. Harish Rao, the BRS, and the Telangana Congress government led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
- What
- The BRS announced Assembly protests and planned mass agitations over the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Ranga Reddy irrigation projects, along with other public issues.
- Where
- The BRS Legislature Party meeting took place at KCR’s farmhouse in Erravalli, Telangana, while the issues will be raised in the Telangana Assembly.
- When
- The announcement was made on Sunday, ahead of the monsoon Assembly session beginning Monday; the larger agitations were described as coming in the following days.
- Why
- The BRS alleges that the Congress government is failing to release usable Kaleshwaram water, complete Palamuru-Ranga Reddy, and fulfill several election and policy commitments.
BRS Position
Congress Government Position
Irrigation projects
BRS Position
The BRS alleges that the Congress government is deliberately not releasing available Kaleshwaram water and has neglected completion of the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy project.
Congress Government Position
The Congress government has said Kaleshwaram barrages built during the BRS government should be repaired according to National Dam Safety Authority recommendations; the articles do not provide a detailed response to all BRS allegations.
KCR’s Assembly attendance
BRS Position
Harish Rao says KCR need not attend while Congress leaders allegedly use abusive language toward him, and compares his absence with earlier leaders who boycotted proceedings before returning to power.
Congress Government Position
Congress has criticized KCR for largely staying away from the Assembly despite being Leader of the Opposition and has demanded that he resign as an MLA.
Government performance and resignations
BRS Position
The BRS alleges that Revanth Reddy’s government has failed to fulfill the Six Guarantees, farm-loan waiver and other commitments, and says the chief minister should resign.
Congress Government Position
The Congress position, as reported, is that KCR should resign over his absence from Assembly proceedings; the articles do not give a detailed response to the broader BRS accusations.
Key facts
- BRS president
- K. Chandrasekhar Rao
- Main projects
- Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project and Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme
- Palamuru-Ranga Reddy claim
- The BRS says about 80% was completed under the previous government and that the remaining work could yield 60 TMC of water.
- Assembly session
- The monsoon session begins Monday; the BRS is demanding that it be extended to one month.
- Student dues
- The BRS says tuition-fee reimbursement dues affect 30 lakh students.
- Other issues
- Land placed on the Section 22-A prohibited list, farm-loan waiver, Rythu Bharosa, drought, power cuts, employee dues and fee reimbursement.
- Kaleshwaram status
- The project has faced controversy over structural deficiencies and is under a CBI probe into alleged corruption and design issues; the government has said repairs should follow National Dam Safety Authority recommendations.
Quotes
T. Harish Rao
BRS Deputy Leader in the Telangana Assembly
“We have decided in this meeting that, in protest against the Congress government's negligent attitude toward these two projects, KCR himself will lead a direct mass movement involving hundreds of thousands of people in the coming days”
thehansindia.com
“KCR has no need to attend the Assembly just to listen to the crude, street-level language used by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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