BRS to launch fresh agitation to protect Telangana irrigation rights, says party
Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is preparing to launch a fresh public agitation to defend Telangana’s irrigation rights, party sources said on Sunday. BRS President and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will chair a joint meeting of the BRS Legislature Party. The meeting will take place at the state executive on December 19 at Telangana Bhavan to finalise the plan.
The meeting will focus on the Congress government’s alleged negligence in pursuing ongoing irrigation projects. This is especially true in continuing the momentum set by the previous BRS administration. Party leaders are expected to raise strong objections over the reduction of water allocation to the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project. It was 91 TMC approved under BRS but now only 45 TMC is being proposed to the Centre.
The BRS leadership accused the Congress government and State Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy of compromising Telangana’s farmers. They claim this is done by accepting the lower quota. “Surrendering at the Centre with just 45 TMC is a betrayal of farmers in Palamuru, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda,” the party said in a statement.
BRS says only a people’s movement can stop injustice over Krishna-Godavari waters
The BRS also criticised the Andhra Pradesh government for what it described as ongoing encroachment of Krishna and Godavari river waters. It slammed the Congress regime for failing to resist such actions. The party claimed the BJP-led Centre is backing Andhra’s moves under the guise of river interlinking. However, they say rightful allocations to Telangana are being denied.
“It is clear now that Telangana’s irrigation interests can only be protected through a direct public movement,” BRS said. They added that the proposed December 19 meeting would formalise a roadmap for state-wide protests. The meeting will also include discussions on party organisational matters.
The BRS further questioned why Telangana’s eight BJP MPs had remained silent on critical water issues in Parliament. “The BJP is clearly complicit in this injustice,” the party alleged. They stated that neither Congress nor BJP has protected the state’s agrarian interests.
Party leaders said had the BRS remained in power, water would have already reached farmlands via the Palamuru project. They blamed the Congress for stalling progress and ignoring the needs of farmers in key districts.
BRS reaffirmed that it will not compromise on Telangana’s irrigation rights. Defending water access for farmers will be a core priority of its political strategy going forward.