Harish Rao slams CM over Assembly conduct, questions Musi River project transparency

Former minister and MLA Harish Rao has strongly criticized Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s conduct in the Telangana Assembly, claiming that the CM’s statements are causing more turbulence than the Musi River itself.

Harish Rao alleged that the ruling party is undermining democratic values in the Assembly and suppressing the opposition’s voice. Speaking on the ongoing Musi River beautification and cleaning project, he accused the government of distracting the public while avoiding direct answers to serious questions.

He said the government is effectively “washing” issues through speeches rather than addressing them. Harish Rao demanded clarity on the Musi project, including the total estimated expenditure, how many houses have been demolished so far, and whether compensation has been paid under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. He also sought details on how much private land has been acquired and the sources and route of Godavari water being diverted into the river.

Harish Rao raised concerns over recent floods, claiming that the Musi gates were intentionally opened simultaneously, leading to submerged homes and roads, and asked whether the authorities had investigated this decision. He warned that the BRS party would not accept the demolition of poor people’s homes under the guise of river beautification and added that they were ready to physically block bulldozers if necessary. “Protecting citizens’ rights is the opposition’s duty,” he said.

Harish Rao also criticized the Assembly’s functioning. He alleged that the minutes of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) were manipulated, claiming that while the committee had decided in public that the session should run for at least seven days, the official records left the decision entirely to the Speaker.

He accused the Speaker of running the Assembly unilaterally rather than as a neutral custodian. Harish Rao highlighted that during the Question Hour, opposition questions are frequently cut off if they target the government, while similar questions on national leaders go unchallenged.

He also criticized the practice of sending the Assembly agenda late at night, sometimes at 2 or 3 a.m., leaving members insufficient time for meaningful discussion. Harish Rao accused the Chief Minister, as the presiding officer, of dodging all opposition questions on public issues and discussing unrelated topics, thereby undermining the dignity of the Assembly.

“Compared to the Musi River floods, the real turbulence in the Assembly comes from the Chief Minister’s words,” Harish Rao concluded, emphasizing his strong disapproval of the current proceedings.