Protests over YSRC Jagan's anti-T' deeksha in Telangana

Hyderabad: YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s three-day “Jala Deeksha” in Kurnool against construction of irrigation projects by TS has kicked up political storm and T-sentiment again in the state.

Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao slammed Mr Reddy and warned him of serious consequences for trying to obstruct the irrigation projects while TRS leaders, T-protagonists and students too lashed out at the YSRC chief.

Former YSRC MLA Y. Krishna Reddy of Mahbubnagar quit the party, accusing Mr Reddy of an anti-Telangana stance while students burnt an effigy of the YSRC chief on the OU campus. T-protagonists also protested at Mr Reddy’s residence. “Jagan’s deeksha is his narrow political ends.  He will have to face serious consequences,” Mr Rao warned.

He reminded Mr Reddy that his father, late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, took away Krishna waters to Rayalaseema causing injustice to Telangana. “Naidu instigates some to file cases in courts while Jagan sits on deeksha. We are constructing irrigation projects as per the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal’s nod. We will not take one extra drop of water from the Godavari or Krishna. Jagan will be shoed away like he was at Manakota,” Mr Harish Rao said.

Stating that Telangana suffered for 60 years and was trying to utilise its share of Krishna and Godavari waters, he said Mr Naidu and Mr Reddy were trying to use Telangana projects to settle political scores and indulge in a game of oneupmanship.

“Allow us to live peacefully. We believe in live and let live attitude.  We developed friendly ties with Maharashtra with whom we are constructing five irrigation projects and also Karnataka. We are thankful to Karnataka for releasing one TMC of water from Narayanpur  for drinking water needs of Mahbubnagar district,” Mr Rao said.

He added, “While we could have friendly ties with Maharashtra and Karnataka, AP is avoiding a meeting to sort out our issues. I told Devineni (AP irrigation minister) that I will meet him anywhere... Kadapa or Vijayawada, but there is no response. AP government is avoiding a meeting and creating obstacles. Obstructing Palamur project is inhuman.”

17 students held at Jagan house
Seventeen Osmania University students belonging to the Telangana Navanirmana Vidyarthi Sena were taken into preventive custody by the police on Monday outside YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s house in Banjara Hills.

The students were protesting the YSRC chief taking an “anti-Telangana stance” as part of his three-day Jala Deeksha in Kurnool. Mr Reddy is protesting the Telangana state government taking up the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy and Dindi lift irrigation schemes on the Krishna river, saying the projects will affect water supply for irrigation to Rayalaseema of AP.

Telangana, Naidu failed AP: Jagan
YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy lashed out at the TS government, accusing it of illegally taking up irrigation projects and also at AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of inaction though the projects would drive AP towards desertification.

“The TS government has been indiscriminately drawing water from Krishna and Godavari rivers through lift irrigation depriving AP of its share, while Naidu has been deaf and dumb. It’s time to take up the issue with the right earnest to get the rightful share from upper riparian states of Karnataka and Maharashtra on the first count and the division of water shares between AP and TS was not done by any authority,” Mr Reddy said.

He formally launched his three-day ‘Jala Deeksha’ in Kurnool on Monday against the irrigation projects taken up by TS and the inaction of the TD government in protecting the interests of AP.