HYDERABAD: Taking strong exception to the State government not granting permission to take up a 88-km ‘padayatra’, demanding completion of Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), Congress leader and former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy accused the government of trying to silence the voices of the people fighting for their rights.
Vishweshwar Reddy planned to take the padayatra, along with 5,000 farmers, from Shankarpalli to Laxmidevipalli on Tuesday and had sought permission from district SP and other senior police officials.
However, the police officials denied permission and arrested former Parigi MLA Ram Mohan Reddy and few others when they tried to take out the pada yatra despite prohibitory orders. Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan here on Tuesday, Vishweshwar Reddy criticised Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar for denying permission for the pada yatra.
“We were taking out a padayatra not to create trouble but to highlight the problem of the people of the district. We wanted to remind KCR about his promise of providing water to erstwhile Rangareddy district,” he said.
“The chief minister promised to give water to Rangareddy first through Pranhitha-Chevella. But since it was redesigned he said the district would get water from Jurala, but that too did not happen and now there is no sign of PRLIS. You have water to give to Rayalaseema, but not to Rangareddy district? We want our share of water. We will not keep silent,” he said.