Those opposing Musi rejuvenation will be crushed under bulldozers: Revanth

Padayatra from Vadapalli to Charminar in January

HYDERABAD

Stating that Musi river’s pollution had a devastating effect on people equal to a nuclear explosion, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy warned that those who try to stop the rejuvenation project would be crushed under bulldozers engaged for the clean up.

Mr. Reddy announced on Friday that the project would take off in January 2025 and before that, he would start a padayatra from Vadapalli in Nalgonda district, where the Musi merges with Krishna, and end at the Musi in Charminar. This project will not be stopped at any cost and the city and Nalgonda district would change forever with a clean and clear river flowing through.

He said this during his padayatra from Sangem to Nagireddypally on Friday. Earlier, he performed puja at Sangem Bheema Lingeshwara Swamy temple.

Criticising BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and Siddipet MLA T. Harish Rao, who had earlier said that they would stand before the bulldozers, Mr. Reddy said that they should be ready to get crushed as they wished. “Those who want to stand before bulldozers, please give me your names,” he said.

Alleging that BRS was hell-bent on stopping the project, he challenged the BRS leaders to visit the Musi-polluted areas in Nalgonda, and said that “people will drown them in polluted water”.

He added that former CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao wailed when his daughter went to jail for three months, and asked “what about thousands of women who had lost their children due to Musi pollution.”

Criticising leaders, who have alleged huge corruption in the project, he said that he would not make money by using a revered river, unlike BRS that indulged in huge corruption in Kaleshwaram project.

Terming BJP leaders opposing the project as ‘fake’ BJP leaders, he questioned their opposition in their own State while praising the Sabarmati Riverfront that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had built in Gujarat. “You praise the Sabarmati project but criticise a similar project in Telangana, showcasing your hollowness,” he charged.

Sharing his interactions with farmers and social groups, he said that all the communities poured out their grievances and how their lives were destroyed. “Isn’t it our responsibility to give them a good life?” he asked. “All our MLAs have been elected with huge majorities that shows people’s confidence in us. We can’t do injustice to the people.”

R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Bhongir MLA Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, MLAs Kumbham Anil Reddy, Beerla Ilaiah, Mandula Samuel, Adluri Lakshman Kumar, and Vemula Veeresham were present.

Published - November 08, 2024 08:42 pm IST