Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 28 (ANI): BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) launched a scathing attack on Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over the functioning of HYDRA, accusing the Congress government of using the agency as an instrument of political intimidation, selective demolitions and extortion rather than lawful governance.
Calling upon the Chief Minister to respect the judiciary, KTR said it was “shameful” that Revanth Reddy continued to defend HYDRA despite the Telangana High Court’s strong observations.
“Respect the High Court. Respect democracy. A government that refuses to respect judicial institutions has no moral authority to speak about the rule of law,” he said.
Describing HYDRA as a “nine-headed monster”, KTR alleged that the agency had transformed into a tool for blackmail, intimidation and political vendetta. He said that if BRS is voted back to power, HYDRA would be abolished on the very first day, in line with the spirit of the High Court’s observations.
KTR alleged that HYDRA had selectively targeted the houses of ordinary people while turning a blind eye to alleged encroachments by influential politicians, ministers, MPs and powerful builders.
He questioned why structures belonging to politically connected individuals in lake beds and FTL areas had escaped action while homes of poor families were demolished despite court protections.
“If the government is genuinely committed to protecting public lands, it should first demolish the illegal structures belonging to its own leaders, ministers and influential individuals. The law must be equal for everyone; it cannot become a shield for Congress leaders and a weapon against the poor,” he asserted.
The BRS Working President accused the Chief Minister of creating large-scale destruction in Hyderabad in the name of HYDRA, the release said.
He said that despite being in office for two years, the government had failed to build homes for people but had demolished thousands of houses instead.
Alleging that HYDRA had become an extortion mechanism, KTR claimed the agency was being used to threaten builders and collect money. He further alleged that what was once known as EVDM had merely been renamed as HYDRA and converted into a machinery for blackmail and coercion.
He also recalled his earlier allegations regarding irregularities in the TDR system, claiming that artificial demand was created to facilitate massive financial gains.
KTR further accused Revanth Reddy of repeatedly disregarding judicial directions despite numerous contempt proceedings and said the Chief Minister’s continued defence of HYDRA reflected arrogance rather than accountability.
Targeting the Congress government, KTR alleged that every major initiative undertaken by the Chief Minister carried the shadow of a scam and claimed HYDRA was being protected because it served vested financial interests.
KTR also alleged that the BJP was acting as a “secret political ally” of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He claimed it was widely known that the BJP was shielding the Chief Minister and protecting him from allegations relating to contracts and corruption involving his relatives. He also alleged that despite Enforcement Directorate raids on Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, the BJP-led Union Government had failed to act decisively.
“There is no need for us to seek political engagement with Revanth Reddy. Our fight is against his anti-people government and we will continue to stand with the people of Telangana,” KTR said.
Responding to criticism over the state’s finances, KTR said the previous BRS government had responsibly cleared nearly ₹4,000 crore in pending liabilities inherited from earlier governments, even during the difficult COVID period, ensuring that students and citizens did not suffer.
He noted that liabilities naturally pass from one government to another along with public assets. Under BRS rule, he said, Telangana’s monthly revenues had increased from around ₹4,000 crore to nearly ₹18,500 crore while simultaneously creating substantial public assets and infrastructure.
Speaking on youth protests, KTR said the recent unrest reflected a deeper crisis in education and employment rather than being confined to the NEET issue alone, the release said.
He warned that India could witness large-scale Gen-Z movements similar to those seen in Nepal if governments continued to ignore the aspirations and frustrations of young people. Political parties, he said, must seriously introspect instead of dismissing the growing anger among the youth.
On examination reforms, KTR said the Union Government should first explain what lessons had been learnt from repeated paper leak incidents before introducing new legislation.
The release further added that he alleged that five major paper leaks had occurred during the NDA government’s tenure, including three during the tenure of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He stressed that India now required accountability, transparency and long-term institutional reforms.
KTR said BRS would support any examination reform legislation introduced with genuine intent and urged the Centre to clarify the implementation of the K. Radhakrishnan Committee recommendations while welcoming the constitution of the Nandan Nilekani Committee.
On delimitation, KTR argued that states which had successfully implemented population control should not be penalised while those with higher population growth should not be rewarded, the release said.
He criticised the Centre for linking Women’s Reservation with delimitation and pointed out that even the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 regarding an increase in Lok Sabha seats for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had remained unimplemented for over a decade.
Calling for a national consensus, KTR said all political parties must deliberate on the issue collectively to safeguard the interests of southern states, the release noted.
He added that BRS would announce its detailed position on delimitation in Parliament at the appropriate time while firmly protecting Telangana’s interests. (ANI)
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