Rs 5,000-cr Gandhi Sarovar Project dishonours Bapu, says Tushar Gandhi

Tushar Gandhi has opposed the Telangana government’s proposed Gandhi Sarovar Project and tallest Gandhi statue, calling the Rs 5,000-crore initiative ego-driven and anti-Gandhian, and warning of protests over displacement and lack of consultation with the Gandhi family

Hyderabad: Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, has expressed strong opposition to the Telangana government’s proposed Gandhi Sarovar Project and the plan to unveil the world’s tallest Gandhi statue near Bapu Ghat.

In a telephonic interview with a Hyderabad-based YouTube channel, Tushar Gandhi slammed the Rs 5,000-crore initiative, describing it as a ‘waste’ and an ‘ego-driven’ project that contradicts his great-grandfather’s core ideology.

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Tushar Gandhi pointed out that spending such a massive sum in Mahatma Gandhi’s name while the general public suffer is unacceptable.

Vowing to take the matter further, Tushar Gandhi announced that he would write a formal letter to the Congress high command urging them to direct Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to halt the project. He warned that if the party leadership fails to respond, he is prepared to take to the streets in protest.

He specifically highlighted the humanitarian cost of the project, alleging that thousands of families would be displaced by land acquisition and left homeless.

“Spending crores on a statue while people are left on the road is nothing but a dishonour to Gandhi,” he said, adding that even if a single family is adversely affected, the project must be questioned.

Addressing the Musi Riverfront Development and rejuvenation project, Tushar Gandhi maintained that it was a wrong step. He said that while the people of Telangana voted for the Congress to form a government, they did not vote to suffer. Drawing a sharp comparison, he said that the current Congress administration’s approach appeared no different from that of the Narendra Modi-led Central government regarding large-scale infrastructure at the cost of the poor.

Tushar Gandhi also confirmed that the Revanth Reddy government had not consulted or sought permission from the Gandhi family regarding the statue or the project. He stated that had he been contacted, he would have denied permission immediately.