Harish Rao Challenges Congress Over Musi Demolitions

In a strong show of solidarity, former minister and Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao today pledged his unwavering support to the "victims" of the Musi Beautification Project who were "facing the threat of losing their homes".

Several affected families met Rao at Telangana Bhavan today and shared their stories with him. One person said, "We spent every rupee we earned to build our home. Seeing it demolished now is something we simply cannot endure. We are terrified, and we don't know whom to turn to." Another person tearfully added, "We borrowed lakhs from banks to construct our homes. Now they are being demolished, and we fear that our children will end up on the streets. We live in constant fear of what might happen tomorrow."

Speaking on the occasion, Rao expressed empathy and promised the affected families that the BRS would stand by them during this challenging time.

"I feel immense sorrow upon hearing your stories. The government cannot betray its people. Development should not come at the cost of innocent lives. Revanth Reddy gives his brother 45 days to respond to a notice, while bulldozers are being sent overnight to demolish the homes of the poor. Is this the justice he stands for?" Rao said.

Rao said that many of the poor who were likely to be affected had purchased their lands legally, completed proper registrations, and built their homes with bank loans. "Back in 1993, it was the Congress government that granted these permissions. Now, the very same Congress is unjustly demolishing these structures. And the government initially claimed that there were 10,000 illegal structures, but now it is preparing to demolish 25,000 houses," Rao said.

"And what great work are you doing with this so-called beautification, anyway? KCR's Mission Bhagiratha brought water to every household, truly benefiting the people. The Kaleshwaram project provided irrigation and drinking water to lakhs of farmers. But here you are bringing tears and suffering to the poor and the middle-class in the name of a beautification project," he said addressing Revanth Reddy.

Rao also addressed Rahul Gandhi, urging him to stop the "bulldozer regime" in Telangana and listen to the voices of the people before preaching elsewhere.

He called on Revanth Reddy to hold an all-party meeting and take everyone's opinion into account before proceeding with the Musi project. "Fulfill the promises you made during the elections first. Don't engage in theatrics under the guise of beautification," he said.

Rao also announced that a dedicated team of BRS lawyers would be stationed round-the-clock at Telangana Bhavan to assist the victims, and claimed that they highlighted the party's commitment to safeguarding the rights of those affected. "The BRS MLAs will come to your areas and stand by your side. They will work actively to support and protect the families facing demolition, ensuring that justice prevails. The party promises to serve as a protective shield for all those impacted, providing assurance that their voices will be heard," he added.

"Whenever you need us, just call, and we will be there," he assured the gathering.