Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao condemned the scene created by former minister Sridhar Babu during public hearing on Kaleshwaram project at Peddapalli on Wednesday and termed it anti-democratic and anti-people.
Mr. Harish Rao said it was the responsibility of the Telangana government to elicit the opinion of people on Kaleshwaram project, a lifeline for the State. Mr.Sridhar Babu tried to disrupt the public hearing that was going on in a peaceful and transparent manner. His antics did not go down well with the people and Telangana supporters.
Held smoothly
The public hearing process was completed smoothly in four districts on Tuesday and on Wednesday, government recorded the opinion of people in Nalgonda, Sangareddy, Kamareddy and Peddapalli districts, he said speaking to The Hindu .
CPI leader Pasya Padma participated in the public hearing in Peddapalli and recorded her view and Yedla Rajireddy, who contested as Congress candidate and lost, also conveyed his view. Several opposition leaders — ZPTC Sanjiva Reddy (Congress) in Narayanakhed, TDP leader Kancherla Bhupala Reddy, CPI leader Nuni Venkata Swamy and others in Nalgonda and CPI leader and former MLA Gunda Mallesh also attended the public hearing and freely expressed their opinions. Some opposition leaders spoke in favour of the project and said it should be completed soon.
Government gauged the mood of the people in the public hearing and it was clear that they were in favour of the project, Mr.Harish Rao said. Government created a conducive atmosphere for people and various political leaders to convey their views freely.
‘Plan to disrupt’
However, Congress leaders whose agenda was to oppose irrigation projects were not in favour of public hearing. It was clear that Mr. Sridhar Babu and others came with a plan to disrupt the proceedings, Mr. Harish Rao alleged.
It was deplorable that Mr. Sridhar Rao and his 300 supporters politicised and tried to vitiate the mood at the public hearing and raised slogans against the Chief Minister despite appeal by District Collector not to disturb the process. It was a premeditated effort to disrupt the public hearing, he said. Congress leader Marri Sashidhar Reddy’s complaint in Delhi that the public hearing was being done in violation of norms was also part of Congress conspiracy against the project, the Minister said.
