Harish Rao Criticizes Government Over Musi River Project Rehabilitation
Hyderabad: Senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao strongly criticized the state government on Thursday, accusing it of misleading the Centre, Parliament, and the public regarding the rehabilitation of families affected by the Musi River project. He claimed that promises made under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act have been broken, leaving displaced families without proper support.
Speaking at a press conference held at Telangana Bhavan, Harish Rao pointed out the government’s failure to provide justice to the victims. “The government says it is following the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, but that is a blatant lie. There has been no proper enumeration, no notices, no public consultations, and no fair compensation. Instead, they have recklessly bulldozed homes, leaving families devastated. This kind of behavior is not governance—it’s deception,” he stated.
The BRS leader compared the current government’s actions to those of BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), who he said had taken significant steps to help displaced families during his tenure. According to Rao, KCR, coming from a displaced family himself, understood the struggles of such families and had ensured 250 square yards of land and double-bedroom houses for them—far more than the 121 square yards specified by the 2013 Act. He also claimed that KCR had increased compensation for wage losses and developed colonies with essential amenities. In contrast, he accused the current government of betraying the poor.
Harish Rao further alleged that the government had been inconsistent in its statements, misleading both the public and Parliament. He referred to questions raised by BRS MP K.R. Suresh Reddy, which he said revealed contradictions in the government’s claims. “The Chief Minister and Municipal Minister told the Centre that only new houses would be demolished, but on the ground, several families have already been evicted from their homes,” he said.
Rao also took aim at Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, accusing him of hypocrisy. “He speaks about respecting Sonia Gandhi, yet his government ignores the 2013 Act that she introduced. This lack of accountability is unacceptable,” he added.
The BRS leader emphasized the need for justice and legal protection for Musi River project victims. He challenged the Chief Minister to an open discussion on the issue and announced that the party would take further action. “We will move a privilege motion in Parliament against the government’s false claims and explore legal options to ensure justice for the affected families,” he concluded.
