Stop blaming Centre and fix your mess: Bandi Sanjay to Congress, BRS on Krishna water issue

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar accused the Congress and BRS of ‘misleading’ people and blaming the Centre to cover up their ‘failures’ in Krishna river water allocation.

In a statement released on Friday, he said both parties should apologise for the injustice done to Telangana and work to secure its rightful share. The Minister stated that the Modi government issued new terms of reference in October 2023 for a tribunal to scientifically redistribute Krishna basin waters, as the Bachawat Tribunal had not done justice to Telangana.

He alleged that the KCR government ‘deliberately’ helped Andhra Pradesh, causing huge injustice to Telangana. Out of 811 tmc of Krishna water, TG should have received 555 tmc, but KCR agreed to settle for 299 tmc during the Apex Council meeting on June 19, 2015.

Even when AP began constructing the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project, harming TG’s interests, KCR did nothing but he the then BJP state president, prevailed upon the Centre to stop the project. The former CM even skipped Apex Council meetings, seeking postponements and delayed Centre’s plan to set up a new tribunal it for 8 years citing Supreme Court cases to help AP, he alleged.

On the Palamuru-Rangareddy project, the BJP leader said that the detailed project report (DPR) was returned because the State failed to provide complete water usage details. He affirmed that the Centre is ready to cooperate if the TG government corrects its ‘mistakes’ by sending a revised report with proper information as per guidelines. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s vow to secure 60% funds from the Centre without submitting a proper DPR is “laughable”.

Criticising Congress and BRS leaders, Mr. Sanjay said that their remarks on the Palamuru-Rangareddy project show “ignorance”. Congress and BRS have made it a habit to hurl ‘lies’ and ’blames’ on the Centre to hide their mistakes in Krishna water allocation. Using the Assembly for “selfish political gains” instead of solving public issues is “shameful”, he added.