BRS Working President KT Rama Rao has launched a scathing attack on the Telangana government, alleging that the Musi Riverfront Development Project is not about beautification but a massive land grabbing scheme. Speaking at a public program titled “Musi Revival in Himayat Sagar in Hyderabad – PowerPoint vs Public Point,” KTR questioned the government’s differential treatment of apartment dwellers and slum residents affected by the project.
The BRS leader highlighted what he called a discriminatory approach by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, stating that while three journalists living in an apartment being demolished for the Musi project are being offered 7 acres of land nearby with promises of better apartments, slum residents in Himayat Sagar are not receiving similar treatment. He questioned whether the government would extend the same rehabilitation benefits to all affected residents regardless of their economic status.
KTR claimed that the Congress government’s Musi beautification plan worth ₹1.5 lakh crores is primarily aimed at corruption and land acquisition. He alleged that under the name of the Musi project, Revanth Reddy has his eye on lands worth ₹1.5 lakh crores and has already collected 3,300 acres of land. The BRS leader emphasized that his party is not against developing the Musi but opposes the demolition of thousands of houses and alleged corruption in the project.
Contrasting the current government’s approach, KTR detailed the BRS government’s previous development work, stating that they had prepared a comprehensive plan with ₹16,634 crores for Musi development. He claimed that the previous government developed six kilometers in Nagole without demolishing even a single house, demonstrating that beautification is possible without displacing residents.
The BRS Working President outlined the development plans prepared during KCR’s tenure, which included bringing Godavari waters from Kondapochamma Sagar to Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar through the Kaleshwaram project, establishing 32 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to purify water entering the Musi, constructing an expressway over the Musi, building 15 bridges with check dams beneath them, and implementing 60 works under SNDP to prevent flood threats.
KTR accused the Congress party of being responsible for turning the Musi into a garbage dump and demanded that the party apologize to the people. He stated that the government should rub its nose on the ground and wash away its sins. The BRS leader also mentioned that even prominent activists like Medha Patkar have expressed doubts about the project, and Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson has opposed the installation of a Gandhi statue as part of the project, yet the Chief Minister is not listening to these concerns.
Taking aim at the government’s financial priorities, KTR questioned why the administration claims to have no money to implement promised schemes but has allocated ₹1.5 lakh crores for Musi beautification, beauty contests, and football matches. He challenged the government’s focus on what he termed as non-essential expenditures while neglecting welfare promises made to the people.
The BRS Working President reiterated that the Musi can be beautified without causing harm to people and that his party has already prepared alternative plans for the same. He stated that the BRS government had previously beautified the Musi without allegations of financial impropriety, unlike the current administration. KTR declared that the BRS will not accept the Musi plan that involves demolishing thousands of houses and building on their foundations, vowing to stop what he called corruption in the Musi project.
