Revanth Warns of Stir Against Maharashtra’s Neglect

Rebbena (Komaram Bheem Asifabad): Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday criticised the BJP-led Central government and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for ignoring the Telangana government’s requests for negotiations on the proposed Tummidihatti barrage on the Godavari river, a key component of the Pranahita-Chevella project. He also warned of a large-scale Adivasi agitation from Telangana.

Addressing a public meeting at Kagaznagar crossroads in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district as part of the 99-day Praja Palana-Pragati Pranalika programme, Revanth Reddy said the Telangana government was prepared to bear the compensation cost for the submergence of around 2,000 acres of land in Maharashtra required for the construction of the Tummidihatti barrage.

He said that despite repeatedly seeking talks with Maharashtra for over a year, Fadnavis had neither responded to multiple letters nor agreed to a Chief Minister-level meeting to discuss the height and other issues relating to the proposed barrage.

Revanth Reddy alleged that Maharashtra was discriminating against Telangana and its people by refusing to cooperate on the project, which he said would irrigate nearly two lakh acres in the erstwhile Adilabad district and also benefit farmers in the erstwhile Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Medak districts. He warned that if the deadlock continued, the people and farmers of Adilabad would intensify their struggle and Maharashtra would “feel the heat” of Telangana farmers.

Recalling the bifurcation-era developments linked to the Polavaram project, Revanth Reddy said seven mandals of the then Khammam district were merged with Andhra Pradesh after the formation of Telangana in 2014 through an ordinance issued by the BJP-led NDA government, resulting in the displacement of lakhs of Adivasis.

He questioned why Fadnavis had remained silent despite repeated appeals for dialogue and remarked that he did not know whether the Maharashtra Chief Minister disliked him personally or shared a “special relationship” with former Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. “Is the Telangana Chief Minister so cheap for you?” he asked while expressing frustration over the lack of response from Maharashtra.

The Chief Minister also targeted Union minister G. Kishan Reddy for allegedly failing to facilitate talks between the two states. Stating that he cared only about the interests of Telangana farmers, Revanth Reddy said he would go to any extent to protect their rights. While emphasising that he always preferred resolving issues through dialogue rather than confrontation, he added that he would not hesitate to fight if necessary.

On agricultural procurement, Revanth Reddy warned the BJP-led Centre that Telangana would launch an agitation after June 15 if it failed to procure paddy, maize, jowar and sunflower seeds from the state.

He specifically warned Kishan Reddy that if the Centre did not procure 75 lakh tonnes of paddy, 20 lakh tonnes of maize and other crops by July 15, the state government would dump the produce either in front of the BJP state office at Nampally or at the Union Minister’s residence in Barkatpura Chaman.

“The Centre cannot simply announce the minimum support price and wash its hands off from procurement responsibilities,” the Chief Minister said, noting that the state government had repeatedly raised the issue with Union food and public distribution minister Prahlad Joshi but had not received any satisfactory assurance.

He declared that a “war” would be launched against the Centre if Telangana’s demand was ignored and warned that Kishan Reddy would find it difficult to move among the public if he failed to intervene immediately.

Revanth Reddy, however, assured farmers that the state government would procure 75 lakh tonnes of paddy during the current Rabi marketing season and would also purchase produce damaged by unseasonal rains. He further announced that all pending lift irrigation projects in the erstwhile Adilabad region would be completed soon and called upon legislators across party lines to cooperate with the government to ensure their timely completion.

The Chief Minister also outlined the government’s housing plans, stating that he wanted to see the erstwhile Adilabad district free of huts. He said tribal thandas and gudems would receive priority in the allocation of houses under the second phase of the Indiramma Housing Scheme, which would be implemented in saturation mode. Revanth Reddy announced that the government would sanction 2.5 lakh Indiramma houses in the second phase and that a mass house-warming ceremony for one lakh completed Indiramma houses would be conducted across Telangana on September 17.