HYDERABAD: Union Minister for Coal and Mines and BJP state president G Kishan Reddy on Saturday said that he was ready to be run over by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s bulldozers if it ensured the welfare of residents of slums near the Musi river.
He was responding to Revanth’s warning that he would drive bulldozers over those who opposed the Musi rejuvenation project. Kishan and several other BJP leaders embarked on Musi Nidra (sleeping on the banks of Musi) in response to Revanth’s challenge to opposition party leaders to spend a few nights on the banks of the river unaffected by the stink that rises from the polluted water.
The BJP leaders maintained that they were not against river rejuvenation but only the displacement of the Musi dwellers.
As part of Musi Nidra, Kishan Reddy spent the night at Tulsiramnagar in Amberpet Assembly constituency.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union minister questioned the very objectives, source of funding, and modalities of the Musi rejuvenation project.
Consider beautification, not razing: Kishan to Revanth
Kishan urged the chief minister to reconsider “Musi beautification” without displacing the people by demolishing houses constructed about 20 to 30 years ago.
“When YS Rajasekhara Reddy was chief minister, I ensured the sanction of roads, electricity transformer, school, community hall and many other developments in this Basti. Now it seems like Rajasekhara Reddy was at fault and only Revanth Reddy is right,” Kishan said.
He said that the people were distraught by the CM’s statements and sick with fear not knowing when a bulldozer will run over their homes.
The BJP leader alleged that the Congress government was trying to open a real estate business in the guise of Musi beautification.
He was also critical of the government for its decision on Musi riverfront development while ignoring the pollution that is taking place with effluents joining the river from Gandipet to Choutuppal.