CM Revanth Reddy Asks Opposition: Why Oppose Musi River Revitalization?

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has questioned opposition parties for opposing the Musi Riverfront Development Project, asking why they stand against this initiative. He stated that the government plans to create a Gandhi Ideology Center in Hyderabad and install a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Bapu Ghat, similar to the Sardar Patel statue. Reddy also criticized the central government, accusing it of discrimination against southern states.

Addressing the ABP Southern Rising Summit in Hyderabad, which he inaugurated, CM Reddy emphasized the role and importance of southern states in India’s development and expressed concerns over perceived injustices under the NDA government. Reddy remarked that during Congress rule, numerous projects from Bhakra Nangal to Nagarjuna Sagar were developed to aid national progress. Congress also established a network of universities to promote education and introduced transformative changes in the education system.

The Chief Minister highlighted the contributions of leaders like Indira Gandhi, who, with the slogan “Remove Poverty,” took significant steps to improve living standards. During Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18, the IT sector experienced a digital revolution, and the telecommunications industry advanced. He further credited Congress with empowering local bodies following Mahatma Gandhi’s vision, calling PV Narasimha Rao a remarkable figure and recognizing his contribution as the first Prime Minister from South India.

Reddy praised PV Narasimha Rao for pioneering the liberalization, privatization, and globalization (LPG) reforms that laid the foundation for India’s economy. He noted that Congress leaders from Nehru to Indira Gandhi and beyond made continuous efforts to meet people’s basic needs, introducing transformative changes across technology, telecommunications, and other sectors over the past three decades.

The Chief Minister also challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning his contributions to the nation and the significant impact of his policies. He criticized the BJP’s approach of destabilizing governments and adopting undemocratic methods to establish power in states, neglecting the real needs of the people, especially farmers. Reddy expressed concerns over BJP’s divisive politics and its attempt to create a divide between North and South India.

Reddy noted that in the past, Congress upheld a tradition of appointing Prime Ministers from the North and Presidents from the South, leading to the selection of Southern leaders like Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy and Abdul Kalam as Presidents. However, this practice has been disregarded under Modi’s administration. Despite BJP’s focus on consolidating political power in South India, Reddy argued that they have failed to benefit the region, unlike Congress, which he claimed had made substantial contributions. He highlighted the substantial tax revenues collected by the central government from southern states but emphasized that these funds are not returned proportionately.

Reddy asserted that southern states, despite contributing more in taxes than northern states, receive limited returns, estimating that only 40% of their contributions are returned. In contrast, he argued that for every rupee paid in taxes by states like Uttar Pradesh, approximately 2,000 rupees are returned. He criticized the central government’s discriminatory funding practices and urged an end to the neglect of southern states, attributing this bias to Prime Minister Modi’s North Indian background.

The Chief Minister questioned the BJP’s motives, pointing out that while they developed the Sabarmati Riverfront in Gujarat, they oppose efforts to rejuvenate the Musi River in Hyderabad. Reddy suggested that BJP leaders are unable to accept Telangana’s and Hyderabad’s potential to compete with Gujarat, claiming that BJP, along with BRS, is working to hinder Telangana’s growth, particularly through projects like Future City, Regional Ring Road, Naval Radar, and irrigation projects. He questioned why they would oppose his vision for a “Future City.”

Revanth Reddy criticized former CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) for failing to serve as an active representative, claiming KCR seldom attended the Secretariat during his ten-year tenure. He noted that KCR, having received opposition status, only spent ten minutes in the assembly before leaving. If KCR believes in democracy, Reddy challenged him to re-engage with the public.