Hyderabad: Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, criticized misleading claims about the Kaleshwaram project. He emphasized the BJP’s clear position on the matter.
He dismissed rumors of a change in the BJP’s stance or any alignment with the BRS. “The BJP’s position is straightforward,” he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the project a wealth source for the KCR family. Alongside him, Amit Shah and J P Nadda have addressed this. The BJP demands a CBI investigation into the project’s corruption.
Sanjay Kumar stated, “The BJP doesn’t change policies like a chameleon. Would our leader Modi, who has been Prime Minister for 11 years, make baseless claims about the KCR family? No, use your judgment.”
He questioned why there was phone tapping while he was BJP state president and whether his stance would change now as Union Minister. “The BJP’s stance is my stance. If any party leader’s views differ on Kaleshwaram, the high command will address it.”
He insisted, “We demand a CBI inquiry into the project; no other approach exists.”
He challenged Rahul Gandhi’s past election claims, where Gandhi called the project corrupt and sought a CBI inquiry. Sanjay Kumar accused the KCR family of inflating the budget from Rs 38,000 crore to Rs 1.2 lakh crore, alleging they “looted thousands of crores.”
He called the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) a “completely corrupt project,” asserting that KCR inflated the costs. “If the officials profited by hundreds of crores, imagine the corruption by the KCR family.”
He criticized the Congress for protecting the KCR family while sacrificing certain officials. Sanjay Kumar recalled Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s earlier call for a CBI inquiry during the last elections. He questioned why, with Congress now in power, the inquiry isn’t happening. “We demand transparency; we don’t trust the Congress government’s investigation.”
The Karimnagar MP accused Congress and BRS of working together, acting as “two sides of the same coin.” He claimed Revanth Reddy protects KCR against corruption allegations, asserting the public is aware and shifting support to the BJP.
He refuted claims that Kaleshwaram’s design changed due to lack of water at Tummidihatti, stating the Central Water Commission confirmed water availability. He argued the project at Tummidihatti would have cost only Rs 38,000 crore, but changes for KCR’s benefit increased it to Rs 1,20,000 crore.
“If BRS claims the project had cabinet consent, they need to prove it,” he challenged. “What has Kaleshwaram achieved besides misappropriating public funds? It’s misleading to say canals are full when crop yields are high despite insufficient water. BRS leaders falsely credit the project for rainfall benefits.”
He clarified the BJP opposes “family parties.” He questioned any alliance with BRS, asserting, “A corrupt family party like BRS cannot come close to the BJP.”
