Hyderabad: BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan has urged Congress Lok Sabha leader Rahul Gandhi to ensure immediate intervention to halt the proposed Rs.5,000 crore Mahatma Gandhi Sarovar Project on the Musi riverfront in Telangana.
In an open letter, Sravan appealed to Rahul Gandhi, stating that the Congress government in Telangana, led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, was pursuing monumentalism at the cost of poor families. He said the proposed 500 ft Gandhi statue would displace thousands of families. He also said it would violate their right to housing. According to him, this move stands in contrast to the Congress party’s stated commitment to social justice and empathy.
Mahatma Gandhi Sarovar Project may displace families
Sravan urged Rahul Gandhi to verify the facts. He asked him to instruct the Chief Minister to stop all evictions linked to the Mahatma Gandhi Sarovar Project. He also demanded that funds earmarked for the statue be diverted to fulfil welfare guarantees promised during the 2023 Assembly elections. Therefore, he positioned the issue as one of priorities and public welfare.
Citing Mahatma Gandhi’s own opposition to statues, the BRS MLC argued that using his name to justify demolitions amounted to a betrayal of Gandhian ideals. He further alleged a nexus between the Musi beautification project and corporate interests. Meanwhile, he raised concerns over reported understandings with private entities.
Call to restore access to Ambedkar statue and focus on welfare
Sravan also sought restoration of full public access and dignity to the 125-foot Ambedkar statue near the Secretariat. He accused the government of selective reverence. Then, he urged the Congress government to focus on in-situ ecological restoration of the Musi. He called for redirecting funds towards welfare guarantees. He also demanded restoration of dignity to existing public monuments.
Finally, he warned that failure to intervene could damage both public trust and the Congress leadership’s moral standing. The appeal places the Mahatma Gandhi Sarovar Project at the centre of a political debate over development, displacement, and welfare priorities in Telangana.
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