KCR, family used Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation scheme as personal ATM: Rahul

Hyderabad, Nov 1 (IANS) Amid allegations of poor quality of construction work and corruption in the Kaleshwaram project in Telangana, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday visited Medigadda (Laxmi) barrage, and said that KCR, his family used Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme as "personal ATM".

Rahul Gandhi, who is currently campaigning in Telangana, reached the barrage at Ambatipally village in Jayashankar Bhupalpally by a helicopter from Hyderabad.

Accompanied by state Congress leaders, he went around the barrage which recently suffered damage. Some piers of the barrage recently sunk in, prompting the Centre to send a high-level team for the probe.

“Kaleshwaram Project = KCR Family ATM I visited the Medigadda barrage, which is a part of the corruption-ridden Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme in Telangana,” Rahul Gandhi posted on ‘X’ after his visits.

“Cracks have developed in multiple pillars because of shoddy construction with reports indicating that the pillars are sinking. KCR and his family are using the Kaleshwaram Project as their personal ATM to plunder the people of Telangana,” he wrote.

After inspecting the sagging pillars, Rahul Gandhi made an aerial survey of the barrage.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, MLA Sridhar Babu and other leaders accompanied Rahul Gandhi.

Before visiting the barrage, the top Congress leader addressed a meeting of women in Ambatipally village.

He described Kaleshwaram as the biggest scam of the KCR government. “I wanted to personally see this and that’s why I have come here,” he said.

The MP alleged that Chief Minister KCR looted Rs 1 lakh crore in this project from people of Telangana. He claimed that this project has not benefited people.

Pointing towards the ‘Kaleshwaram ATM’ set up by Congress workers at the venue to highlight the scam, Rahul Gandhi suggested that it should be renamed as ‘Kaleshwaram KCR ATM’.

He alleged that because of the corruption in this project, all families in Telangana will have to pay Rs 31,500 every year till 2040.

Alleging that women were the worst hit by the corruption of KCR and his family, he promised that Congress will give back to people as much money as was looted by KCR.

The Congress leader told the women what Congress would do for them after coming to power in the state.

He said under the Mahalakshmi scheme, every woman will get monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500. Cooking gas cylinder will be supplied only for Rs 500 while women will be able to travel free in RTC buses.

He said every woman will get a benefit of Rs 4,000 every month including the savings on gas cylinder and bus travel.

Reiterating the allegation that BRS, BJP and MIM are one, he appealed to people to bring Congress to power to usher in people’s rule in Telangana.