BJP, BRS in cahoots to stall CBI notice to KCR: Laxman
Claims `47,000 crore interest burden due to Kaleshwaram loans
Hyderabad: Minister for SC and ST Welfare Adluri Laxman Kumar on Thursday alleged that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are acting in tandem, claiming that this was the reason the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has not served notices to former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.
Addressing the media at Gandhi Bhavan, along with MLC Addanki Dayakar, former minister Motkupalli Narasimhulu and TPCC Media Cell Convener Sama Rammohan Reddy, Laxman Kumar accused the previous BRS government of pushing the state into a financial crisis in the name of the Kaleshwaram project. He alleged that the BRS government had taken massive loans for the project and that commissions worth crores of rupees were collected.
The Minister Laxman said that the work done by the then BRS government, which took loans in the name of the Kaleshwaram project, had to pay Rs.47,000 crore in interest. He said that the BRS government had collected commissions in the name of Kaleshwaram. He alleged that despite huge expenditure, not a single drop of water reached the erstwhile Karimnagar district.
Laxman Kumar further stated that in other countries, strict punishments would have been imposed for corruption of such magnitude. He criticised BRS leaders for raising issues such as Rythu Bharosa and Musi rejuvenation while remaining silent on the alleged irregularities in Kaleshwaram.
Demanding answers from KCR and former minister KTR, the Minister questioned why the former Chief Minister, now Leader of the Opposition, has not attended the Assembly to speak on key state issues. He also alleged that the previous government neglected the welfare of SC and ST students.
The Minister accused BRS leaders of attempting to defame the present government and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy through what he described as false propaganda.
He stated that despite the financial strain inherited from the previous government, the Congress administration has already repaid Rs 47,000 crore towards loans taken for the Kaleshwaram project and is working to reduce the interest burden. He added that four out of the six guarantees promised by the Congress party have been implemented, and the remaining two would be fulfilled soon.
