The Chief Minister urged the Opposition to assist Musi dwellers rather than make irresponsible remarks about a well-intentioned project, accusing them of wanting families on the riverbanks to remain in poverty to protect their luxury farmhouses.
Published Oct 03, 2024 | 4:33 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 03, 2024 | 4:33 PM
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Undeterred by the opposition’s onslaught for taking up Musi Riverfront Development, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has doubled down on his resolve to take the project to its logical conclusion, even if he has to pay a political price for it.
He said: “I am aware that relocating the Musi dwellers would make them angry. I know it is politically unwise for me personally. Yet I want to go ahead with it as I am doing it for posterity.”
The Chief Minister, while inaugurating the pilot project for distribution of family digital cards in the state in Hyderabad on Thursday, 3 October, asked the BRS to spend Rs.500 crore from its Rs.1,500 crore party fund on Musi Dwellers to help them lead a life of dignity.
He wanted to know why the Opposition BRS and the BJP were raising a hue and cry when he was trying to help Musi dwellers lead a decent and respectful life. “Is it wrong to offer them double bedroom houses and pay Rs.25,000 towards shifting expenses. Do you want them to languish in poverty and squalor forever?” the Chief Minister asked.
The Chief Minister said that the Opposition should come forward in helping the Musi dwellers, instead of making irresponsible comments on a well-intentioned project. But it appears the Opposition wants the families who are living on Musi river banks to remain in poverty forever so that there would be no threat to their swanky farm houses, he alleged.
“The BRS is using the poor as a shield to protect the ultra-modern luxurious farm houses of its leaders. KTR has one in Jawadada, Harish Rao in Aziznagar, Sabita Indra Reddy has three farm houses one each for her three sons and KVP Ramachandra Rao also has one. You are all interested in protecting them by making a show that the poor are being affected,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he was ready to call an all-party meeting to discuss how well the government could settle those who are living on Musi riverbanks. The BJP has all the Lok Sabha seats that are close to Hyderabad. “Let Malakajgiri MP Eatala Rajender take the lead. I do not mind following him. Let us go to the prime minister and get Rs.25,000 crore for rehabilitating those who are living in crushing poverty,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he was ready to receive the opposition parties to the secretariat to see what could be done who has built houses in the FTL and buffer zones of lakes. If the middle class and the poor have houses in the FTL and Buffer Zones of canals and lakes, it was because the BRS, during its 10-year-rule, had allowed them. “The BRS leaders had sold plots in Musi Riverbank and in Nalla Cheruvu to the poor. This is the reason why they are opposing Musi Project because the people might turn against them,” he said.
The Chief Minister declared that the project to cleanse Musi will continue, no matter what. The removal of the unauthorised and illegal constructions in the FTL and Buffer zones of lakes, nalas, and encroachments in public parks will continue. “I am not going to leave the BRS Leaders who have de-luxe farmhouses close to the lakes. None of them would be spared,” he said.
He said those who are agitating against the Musi project were hired by the BRS. “You are stage-managing protests with them because you are interested in protecting your properties and not out of concern for any of the families of the poor who will lose their houses,” the chief minister said. He wondered how could anyone give him money bags if he removed the encroachments. “One would get moneybags only when one allows unauthorised and illegal buildings. Not when one pulls them down,” the Chief Minister said.
Revanth Reddy said that when there was a discussion on HYDRAA in the Assembly, the Opposition BRS did not bother to take part in it and now they are picking holes in its constitution and the work it is doing, besides organising protests against the Musi Riverfront Project.
He said the government has 1,000 acres in Jawahar Nagar where he would build Indiramma Houses for for all those who are likely to be evacuated from Musi. “This apart, I have sanctioned 15,000 double bedroom houses for the Musi evacuees who may not be more than 12,000 families,” the Chief Minister said.
He asked BJP MP Eatala Rajender whether it was fine if Narendra Modi takes up Sabarmati Riverfront Project in Gujarat but it is not okay if Telangana government implements Musi Riverfront Project. “Eatala is parroting what KTR and Harish Rao had said the previous day and wondered what this charade was all about,” he said.
He asked the leaders of the Opposition parties to come for a meeting. “Let us sit together, if necessary for three days, and find out how many lakes had been encroached and by whom. Hundreds of inter-connected lakes had been encroached which is leading to flooding of residential areas and roads in Hyderabad, causing untold suffering to the people,” he said.
“Several tanks and Nalas had shrunk in size or had just disappeared. It is not as though I am not able to gauge the depth of politics. I know I would face a backlash from the people which is quite normal. If anyone loses his house, his heart will grieve. My intention is not to make the poor cry. But how long can we allow them to live in poverty and allow Musi River to continue to stink to high heavens. I want to give them a better life,” the Chief Minister said.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
