Musi Nidra: Kishan Reddy urges CM to reconsider river clean-up project

Promising all support to residents likely to be displaced by the Musi riverfront development project, BJP state president and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy urged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to reconsider the project considering the huge displacement of the poor. However, he made it clear that they were not against the project but against the demolition of houses of the poor.

He said his party launched the ‘Musi Nidra’ campaign to instil confidence among the poor and reassure them that the party would stand by them if their homes were demolished using bulldozers.

Addressing a gathering during the launch of Musi Nidra (sleepover programme) at Tulsi Ram Nagar in Amberpet on Saturday, Mr. Kishan Reddy criticised the State government’s approach to the riverfront project, alleging that it targeted the poor by proposing the demolition of homes along the riverbanks.

Mr. Reddy accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of prioritising demolitions over rehabilitation. “The government is making announcements to demolish the houses of people living on both sides of the Musi river in Hyderabad. Even if obstacles arise, the Chief Minister is adamant about using bulldozers to destroy the homes of the poor,” he said.

He alleged that the beautification project was a pretext for real estate interests while ignoring critical issues, including drainage problems from Gandipet to Choutuppal that contribute to the pollution of the Musi river. “The State government is not addressing the root causes of pollution and drainage but is instead focusing on displacing the underprivileged. There is no clarity on the purpose, planning or funding of this massive ₹1.5 lakh crore project,” he added.

The BJP leader highlighted the fear among residents, claiming many were living in constant fear of losing their homes. “People are anxious because of the CM’s announcements. Some are falling ill due to the persistent fear of when a bulldozer will arrive,” he remarked.

Mr. Reddy reiterated the BJP’s commitment to the affected residents, stating, “For the past four months, the BJP has been holding protests at Dharna Chowk to reassure those affected. Today, we are staying with them to express our solidarity and give them courage.”

Reiterating the BJP’s stance as a party for the poor, he declared, “We will not allow the government to displace people under the guise of development. The BJP will always stand with the poor.”

As part of the campaign, several senior BJP leaders, including MPs Dr. K. Laxman, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, Eatala Rajender, N. Ramchander Rao and NVSS Prabhakar, visited the affected areas and interacted with residents.

Published - November 16, 2024 10:09 pm IST