Published Jul 17, 2022 | 3:17 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 16, 2022 | 3:31 PM
KCR is on a visit to the flood affected areas in Bhadrachalam on Sunday (Twitter/Telangana CMO)
Is it a “foreign hand” behind cloudbursts and flash floods in the state?
That’s what Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao suggested on Sunday, 17 July — baffling climate experts and inviting ridicule from the opposition.
Interacting with reporters during his survey of flood-affected areas around Bhadrachalam in the Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, KCR suggested an international conspiracy was responsible for the flood-related woes of the state.
“I’ve been told that there is a new system called cloudburst. I’ve also been told that there are some conspiracies behind it. We don’t know how far it is true. Foreign countries are creating cloud bursts on us on purpose,” KCR said.
CM Sri KCR interacting with media personnel after inspecting the flood-affected areas in Bhadrachalam https://t.co/dy2ri1UY5J
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) July 17, 2022
“In the past, they did it in Kashmir, Ladakh and Leh. Later, they did it in Uttarakhand. We have got clues that recently they have been doing it near the region surrounding the Godavari.”
“Whatever it be, such catastrophes occur due to changes in weather and we have to protect the people during such times.” the chief minister said.
KCR did, however, say that these claims were “unverified”.
While scientists suggested that extreme weather incidents were an outcome of climate change rather than any conspiracy, the opposition laid into KCR, with state Congress chief A Revanth Reddy suggesting that “James Bond 006 KCR” should be taken into custody by the Modi government and grilled about the conspiracies being hatched against the country by international forces.
“We believe the chief minister has information on foreign conspiracies. As it is a conspiracy against the country, the chief minister should share whatever information he has with RAW or central intelligence,” Reddy said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief Bandi Sanjay described KCR’s claim as “the biggest joke of the decade” and suggested that he required medical attention.
Describing KCR as the “biggest conspirator”, Sanjay alleged that the chief minister was making such claims to divert attention from his failures.
He also dismissed Rao’s promise of building a resettlement colony, saying his “latest assurance will meet the same fate as all his past assurances”.
