Tension in Paloncha as BRS leaders detained during protest over Godavari water

BRS leaders were detained in Paloncha during a protest against the alleged diversion of Godavari water from the Sitarama project to Khammam. They accused the Congress government of neglecting Kothagudem’s farmers. Tension briefly flared before leaders were released

Kothagudem: Tension prevailed for some time at Paloncha as police detained BRS leaders and workers when they were staging protests demanding the supply of Godavari water to farmers in Kothagudem district.

The party district unit called for a ‘Chalo Poosugudem’ protest on Monday, as part of which ‘Pinda Pradhan’ and effigy burning were planned at Poosugudem village against the injustice meted out to the district farmers in supplying water from the Sitarama project.

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BRS district president Rega Kantha Rao, former MLAs Vanama Venkateswara Rao and B Haripriya, former Municipal Chairperson K Seethalakshmi, senior leaders Dindigala Rajender, Vanama Raghavendra Rao, A Rakesh Reddy, and others were detained by police near Poosugudem and shifted to the Paloncha police station.

Raghavendra Rao and the cadres jostled with the police while raising slogans against the State government when they were detained, which led to brief tension in the area.

The leaders accused the Congress government of diverting Godavari water from the Sitarama project to Khammam by harming the interests of farmers of the Kothagudem district.

It was unethical to divert water from the project to neighbouring districts without irrigating the fields of tribal farmers in the district. The three Ministers from Khammam district were taking Sitarama water to their district for their selfish politics, Raghavendra Rao alleged.

Kantha Rao and Venkateswara Rao said the government was resorting to repressive measures to cover up its administrative failures and implement the promises it made to the public. They warned that the protests would continue until justice was done to the farmers.

TBGKS State general secretary Kapu Krishna, former Sarpanch Gummadi Sagar, BRS cadres Sindhu Tapasvi, Syed Ahmed, Bondugula Sridhar and others took part in the protest. The leaders were released later in the evening.