BRS slams Congress govt for demolishing houses of poor

Hyderabad, Sep (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Wednesday slammed the Congress government in Telangana for selective action against the poor while turning a blind eye to the rich and influential in the demolition of unauthorized structures in Greater Hyderabad.

He accused the government of creating unnecessary drama under the guise of HYDRAA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency).

He condemned the selective actions against the poor. "There cannot be one law for the powerful and another for the poor. We will not stay silent," he stated during an interaction with media persons following a visit to the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in the city.

KTR, as the former minister is popularly known, accused the government of practising double standards.

"If you have the courage, take action against those who issued permissions and the builders who violated the rules," he said.

He blamed the previous Congress governments in united Andhra Pradesh for encroachments and faulty permissions in the city.

The BRS leader expressed outrage over the demolition of homes of the poor. "A seven-year-old girl named Vedashree wasn’t even given time to collect her books before her house was bulldozed. Pregnant women and small shop owners were also victims of these heartless actions," KTR said.

He assured that the BRS legal team would provide full support to the victims of the ‘HYDRAA’ demolitions. "Contact Telangana Bhavan or reach out to your local BRS MLAs. We will fight for justice," KTR promised.

KTR demanded strict action against those who had issued illegal building permits, particularly in buffer zones. "If a building was constructed in violation of regulations, why are the poor paying the price? Hold the officials and builders accountable," he demanded.

He urged the Chief Minister to prove his integrity by demolishing illegal properties belonging to ministers and influential individuals, including his own family’s houses if found in buffer zones.

KTR also raised concerns about alleged attempts to award a contract related to the Musi River project to a blacklisted company from Pakistan. "We are watching the corrupt intentions behind the Musi project. At the right time, we will expose the truth," he warned.

He said ministers were giving different figures ranging from Rs.50,000 crore to Rs1,50,000 crore as the estimated cost of the project.

He announced that if the oppressive actions against the underprivileged continue, BRS would stand as a shield for the victims. "We will block the bulldozers if necessary," he asserted.

KTR called for the judiciary to take suo moto cognizance of the government's attempts to sideline justice and suppress the voices of the vulnerable.

KTR contrasted the current government's actions with the BRS government’s work during its tenure.

"We constructed homes for the poor and initiated numerous projects for Hyderabad’s development. Because of the Former CM KCR’s leadership, Hyderabad is set to become the first South Asian city to achieve 100 per cent wastewater treatment," he added, citing the construction of 31 STPs across the city.