BJP reiterates demand for CBI probe into Kaleshwaram project irregularities
The BJP has once again reiterated the party's demand for a CBI probe into the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) alleging that there are several corrupt practices that went into its making right from the design stage itself and later in the construction stage.
Legislature party leader A. Maheshwar Reddy lead the charge pointing out that the project began with an initial estimate of ₹38,500 crore and the hike to ₹96,000 crore indicated the extent to which the BRS government had manipulated the work.
Even after spending that kind of money not even one lakh acres had benefitted from the project. It all started with changing the site from Tummidihatti village to Kaleshwaram, shifting the design to pumping from gravity flow and not taking into account adequate water availability — all these issues were sufficient to go for a full fledged investigation by the CBI, he said.
The BJP leader said the recent ACB raid on a senior engineer who had worked in the project and unearthing of a large amount of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income is sufficient to gauge the extent of corruption involved in the work.
Mr. Reddy also accused the Congress government of not taking the project probe and even issues like the illegal phone tapping, irregularities into Mission Kakatiya, Mission Bhagiratha, power purchase deals and so on to a logical conclusion and punishing the guilty. 'Is there a secret deal between the BRS and Congress to water down the probes and allow the BRS leaders to get away scot-free,' he questioned.
His party colleagues, including Sirpur Kagaznagar MLA Dr. Palvai Harish Rao, Mudhole MLA Rama Rao Patil, MLC Anji Reddy, former MLA NVSS Prabhakar, ex-MLC Gudur Narayana Reddy and others too, charged that the Congress government has been 'protecting' the KCR family by side-stepping the CBI probe demand which Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had rooted for before coming to power.
Claiming that there appears to be a concerted effort to water down the Ghose Commission looking into the irrigation project irregularities, the party leaders wanted the Congress government to write a letter to the Centre seeking an investigation by the country's premier agency.
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