Bandi Sanjay accuses Telangana govt of neglecting irrigation projects

Gadwal: Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Thursday accused Telangana Rashtra Samithi government headed by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of deliberately neglecting the irrigation projects in Southern Telangana, particularly in the drought-prone Mahabubnagar district.

Addressing a public meeting at Tera Maidan in Gadwal town in Jogulamba-Gadwal district, Sanjay regretted that the district, which was located between two major rivers – Krishna and Tungabhadra – was lacking proper irrigation facilities.

He reminded that during the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh regime, KCR had vowed to make it a fertile land if the Telangana statehood was realised. But even after eight years, not a drop of water had reached this district and not a piece of land got water for irrigation additionally.

“While he spent over a lakh crore rupees to bring Godavari water to his farmhouse from a distance of 200 km, he had not spent even Rs 1,000-2,000 crore on the projects in Mahabubnagar district that would have completed ongoing projects like Nettempadu, Bhima, Kalwakurthy, Koilsagar and distributory canal works. But he has no heart to complete these projects,” he said.

Referring to the TRS leaders’ criticism that he was fuelling fire in the otherwise fertile Mahabubnagar district, Sanjay challenged the government to show where the greenery is. “What happened to KCR’s promise of modernising Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS)? After coming to power, he dumped the project and took up Tummilla lift scheme. Even there, he had promised to install three pumps, but finally restricted it to one pump,” he said.

He said he had convinced Union Jal Sakthi minister to take up the RDS modernisation works. If it is completed, it would provide irrigation to 87,500 acres in Alampur and Gadwal assembly constituencies. “It requires the consent of three states. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have agreed for it,” he said and asked the Telangana chief minister to accept the proposal, if he has sincerity and cooperate with the Centre.

The BJP president said KCR had turned out to be a curse for the people of the state, as he had cheated all sections of people, particularly the farming community. After KCR became the chief minister, more than 7,000 farmers had committed suicide, including in his own Gajwel assembly constituency.
“Yet, he is trying to hoodwink the farmers by claiming that he has introduced schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima. In fact, he withdrew all farm subsidies after introducing these schemes,” he said.

Describing crop loan waiver scheme as a big hoax, Sanjay said the TRS government had credited the loan waiver money in instalments, which are being adjusted towards the interest on previous loans. “He has also been claiming that he is providing 24X7 free power supply to farm sector. In reality, the power supply is being given not even seven to eight hours,” he said.

He alleged that KCR had been confusing the farmers on cropping. “One day, he asks farmers to raise paddy that gives fine rice; next day, he calls for boiled rice; and now, he says farmers should go for alternative crops instead of paddy. He blames the Centre for not procuring paddy,” he said.

Sanjay asserted that it was because of the policies of Narendra Modi that the farmers were able to get remunerative prices for various crops like cotton, chillies etc. He criticised KCR for not implementing central scheme like Fasal Bima Yojana only to deny credit to the Centre.

The BJP president lashed out at KCR and his family members for spewing venom on him on seeing the massive response to his padayatra. He found fault with KTR for speaking in a tone as if Telangana was not part of India. “How can he say – your Centre, your India? Has he taken Telangana passport or Indian passport to go to the US recently?” he asked.

Sanjay wondered whether KCR and his family wanted to make Telangana a Taliban regime? “If he says this is not his country, he has no right to be not only in the state cabinet but also as an MLA. This is India. He has to say Bharat Mata ki Jai. Otherwise, we shall break his limbs and push him to a corner,” he warned.

The BJP president also accepted the challenge thrown by KTR that he would resign from his MLA seat if his statement that the state had received only Rs 1.68 lakh crore from the Centre in the last seven years. “I am ready to prove it wrong – the Centre had given Rs 3.65 lakh crore in the last seven years. Let KTR come to any place with his resignation letter; I will send my man to prove your bluff,” he said.

He sought to know who had given money for the railway projects and who had laid the national highway on which KCR regularly travels to his farmhouse and the highway to Warangal on which KTR had travelled the other day. “Who gave the money for the vaccination of all the Telangana people?” he asked.

Sanjay said the theatrics of KCR and his family to garner votes by kicking up the Telangana sentiment would not work out this time. “Don’t think like Khasim Rizwi of the Nizam era. But we are not scared. You can’t pluck a strand of hair from us,” he said.

He alleged that KCR had no respect for the Constitution of India, people and more particularly, weaker sections. “Telangana has become a reality not because of this family. It was because of the agitation by thousands of people and sacrifices made by 1400 youth. Telangana has become a reality only because the BJP has supported the bill. It was because of the BJP that KCR has become the chief minister, KTR has become a minister and the TRS leaders are enjoying power. Without us, where are you?” he said.

Sanjay ridiculed the TRS leaders for comparing KCR with Ambedkar, describing him as Dalit Bandhavudu. “Ambedkar’s spirit will turn in his grave if it comes to his notice. It is during KCR’s regime that Dalits were subjected to atrocities as has happened in Nerella. How dare he can be compared to Ambedkar?” he asked.

He also charged KCR with hoodwinking the unemployed youth in the name of job notifications. It has been two months since he made the statement, but so far not a single notification was issued.