Revanth’s decision to hand over Kaleshwaram dam inquiry to CBI sparks row

With Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy deciding to hand over the Kaleshwaram inquiry to the CBI, the opposition BRS on Monday accused him of playing into the hands of the BJP, even as the saffron party called it a case of “too little and too late” and that the evidence may have vanished after so much delay.

The state government had tabled the report of the retired Justice PC Ghose Commission on Kaleshwaram Dam in the ongoing session of the Legislative Assembly.

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The short discussion on the retired PC Ghosh Commission’s report on the Kaleshwaram Dam began yesterday in the Assembly and continued for 10 hours, concluding at around 1:40 am on Monday morning with both the BRS and BJP taking potshots at each other.

The chief minister pointed out that several Central and State agencies, including WAPCOS and other state governments, were involved in the project and hence only the CBI can undertake the task of a comprehensive investigation.

“The House has decided to hand over the investigation of this case to the Central Bureau of Investigation with the permission of the Speaker,” he said.

Reddy held the former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao responsible for poor planning of the project and blamed former irrigation minister T Harish Rao for the technology chosen for the project.

“So far, we have repaid Rs19,879 crore towards principal and Rs29,956 crore as interest, amounting to Rs49,835 crore. The state still has a debt burden of Rs 60,869 crore. An additional Rs 47,000 crore is required to complete the remaining works,” said the chief minister, accusing his predecessor of using the Kaleshwaram project to siphon off funds to become richer than the Nizam.

The BRS accused the chief minister of playing into the hands of the BJP by ordering the CBI probe. BRS working president KT Rama Rao said both the BJP and Congress were complicit and targeting K Chandrasekhar Rao.

The BRS working president criticised the chief minister, saying, “The currency manager (CM) of Rahul Gandhi in Telangana has decided to hand over the Kaleshwaram case to CBI. The CBI that Rahul Gandhi had famously called “Opposition Elimination Cell” of the BJP. Do you have any clue Mr Gandhi, what your CM is doing? Bring it on, whatever it is that you conspire against us; we will fight legally and politically. We have faith in the judiciary and the people.”

Meanwhile, the BJP was sceptical about the decision to hand over the probe to the CBI. BJP spokesperson NV Subhash said, “The delay raises suspicion of a discreet understanding between the Congress and the BRS. Had the government been sincere, it could have entrusted the probe to the CID, Vigilance, or other state agencies long ago. Now, much of the crucial evidence may already have evaporated.”

He then added, “Whatever the Ghosh Committee has reported, the CBI may now be left with precious little to uncover.”