Telangana: Congress claims irregularities in Mission Bhagiratha, government hits back

HYDERABAD: Sparks flew between Telangana government and Congress in the Legislative Assembly today, with the main opposition party alleging irregularities in implementation of 'Mission Bhagiratha' water supply scheme, which the government countered.

During the course of the debate, Congress MLAs N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is the state unit president, and M Bhatti Vikramarka raised questions and also alleged irregularities in implementation and process of tenders of the scheme.

State Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao said the Congress leaders can move courts with proofs, if they have any, on the matter.

The House witnessed verbal exchanges with the minister talking about corruption during the previous Congress regimes and Vikramarka saying the government is free to take action on any contractors indulged in irregularities during the erstwhile Congress rule.

Another exchange of words was witnessed earlier in the debate with the Leader of Opposition (Congress) K Jana Reddy taking exception to Finance Minister E Rajender saying "my Telangana".

Contending that it is not correct to say "my Telangana", Jana Reddy said it should be "our Telangana".

It was Congress which delivered on the separate statehood demand (previous UPA government at the Centre) and that TRS was part of those who voiced the demand, Jana Reddy said.

Objecting to certain comments of the opposition leader, the Municipal Administration Minister alleged it was Congress which delayed the formation of the state.

Reddy spoke as if giving Telangana was a mistake by Congress, the minister alleged.

Recalling that he and his colleagues fought for Telangana though they were in government, Jana Reddy clarified that he did not mean to say that forming separate state was a mistake.

'Mission Bhagiratha' aims at supplying safe drinking water to all households in the state by 2017.