The BRS Student and Youth Wings organized a statewide blood donation drive protesting CM Revanth Reddy’s recent remarks. After the event, protestors were detained by police as they tried to march to the CM’s camp office with the blood packets.
BRS holds ‘blood donation’ protest
In a unique protest, the BRS Student Wing (BRSV) and the BRS Youth Wing successfully organised a statewide blood donation drive. The protest was organised following the recent political statement of the Chief Minister. The main event was held at the BRS headquarters, Telangana Bhavan, and saw a large turnout of students and youth standing in solidarity.
The drive was formally inaugurated by senior BRS leaders, including former ministers V Srinivas Goud and C Laxma Reddy, alongside MLAs Padi Kaushik Reddy, Sanjay Kumar, and former MLA Balka Suman. Following the conclusion of the donation drive, BRSV leaders collected the blood packets donated by the students and tried to march towards the Chief Minister’s Camp Office to deliver them as a direct mark of their protest. Police detained the BRSV wing protestors outside the Telangana Bhavan.
BRS Spokesperson Slams Congress Rule
Speaking to ANI, BRS spokesperson Vishnuvardhan Reddy said, “Prior to India achieving its independence in 1947, lakhs of Indian citizens laid down their lives to attain freedom from the British. But from 1947 to 2014, the ruthless Congress party has blood on its hands from the people of the Telangana region. In 1969, over 370 students were shot dead who were, who were demanding a separate state of Telangana because it was the Congress party which denied people’s rightful share of water, jobs, and funds in the Telangana region.”
“Between 2001 and 2015, over the 14-year period, 1200 students laid down their lives and were martyred for the cause of a separate state of Telangana. But after 2014, the landscape of the Telangana region completely changed. Under the leadership of KCR garu, Telangana progressed at a breakneck speed, by registering as the number one state in terms of per capita income, GSDP growth, per capita consumption of power or paddy production,” he added.
‘Farmer distress increased under Congress’
He further claimed that after the current Congress-led government came to power in 2023, the farmers’ distress has increased. “Once the Congress party took over, the farmers’ distress increased manifold. Recently, the Revanth Reddy government, the incompetent, inept, and inefficient Revanth Reddy government has been unable to provide water. The state of Telangana is reeling under severe heat stress due to the ongoing El Nino effect. But the Revanth Reddy government seems to be absolutely clueless,” he said.
Recalling the previous government, he painted a contrasting picture with the current administration. “The earlier KCR government has built a system in place and has built the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, Kaleshwaram, which can provide water to the farmers in distress. But unfortunately, the Congress government is turning a deaf ear to the demands of the farmers and the demands of the BRS party,” he said.
Reddy further added, “Recently, our BRS party working president KTR showed in person that there is about one lakh cusecs of water going to waste into the Bay of Bengal. The CWC dashboard even clearly shows that over one lakh cusecs of water is being wasted every day, which is about 9 TMC. The BRS party is demanding that the government at least lift 2 TMC of water from the Kannepalli pumphouse and distributes to the farmers across seven districts in the state of Telangana.”
Protest Against CM’s Controversial Remarks
Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister for his previous statement, he said, “But the Revanth Reddy government, which itself said that it is inspired by Hitler’s actions, today has been causing a lot of distress among the farmers and has been demanding the blood of the BRS party leadership instead of providing water to the farmers. So in view of that, uh, statement of CM Revanth Reddy, the BRS party youth wing and the student wing today have organised a blood donation camp.”
He is referring to Revanth Reddy’s earlier remarks in June, which sparked a massive political firestorm as he claimed to have drawn “inspiration from Adolf Hitler” while naming the state’s anti-encroachment task force, Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA).
Vishnuvardhan Reddy further said, “They have collected blood, and they have started marching towards the Chief Minister’s residence. The police are trying to arrest the students. But this is the fight, not about giving blood. The BRS party has always been there to safeguard the interests of Telangana. If the CM Revanth Reddy demands not blood but life, the BRS party is willing to lay down their lives to safeguard the interests of Telangana.”
What CM Revanth Reddy Said
The protest comes after Revanth Reddy made sharp remarks against KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, saying their “blood” would help farmers cultivate crops and that they needed “belt treatment.” The remarks triggered a strong reaction from the BRS, with the party accusing the Chief Minister of using inflammatory language and demanding an apology.
“Ask them (BRS leaders KTR & Harish Rao) to go there (Kaleshwaram) and jump into the water, tying a stone to themselves. We will lose the ‘Shani’ (bad luck). They have committed sins and are roaming around, lying to people. This is unfortunate. KCR is ashamed and staying in the farmhouse. These (KTR & Harish Rao) are shameless. If you cut them (BRS leaders) and spill their blood on the farms, farmers will be able to cultivate their crops,” Reddy said yesterday.
“Their ego and fat will be enough for the crops. They are being oversmart (BRS leaders & retired engineers). They need belt treatment. If you want, you can go and see (it) there or send some experts. We will bear the expenses. Because they are lying, I am telling you the actual facts,” he added.
The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, or KLIP, is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally, Telangana, India. Currently, the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, its farthest upstream influence is at the confluence of the Pranhita and Godavari rivers. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)