The party’s overseas wing has demanded the withdrawal of the disputed report and an unconditional apology over allegations linking Kondapochamma Sagar reservoir water to K Chandrashekhar Rao’s farmland
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (BRS) Global NRI wing has backed legal action against Telugu daily Velugu over a report alleging that water from the Kondapochamma Sagar reservoir was diverted to the farmland of former Telangana chief minister and BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao at Erravelli.
Mahesh Bigala, BRS Global NRI coordinator, criticised the report, titled ‘KCR farmhouse ku mallina Kondapochamma’, alleging that it sought to damage Rao’s reputation by linking a public irrigation project to his personal agricultural land without adequate evidence.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Bigala questioned whether the newspaper had examined official Irrigation Department records, verified canal routes and sought explanations from the officials concerned before publishing the allegations.
He said discussions about Telangana’s irrigation infrastructure should be based on technical information and official records, adding that claims affecting an individual’s reputation must be supported by evidence.
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The BRS Global NRI wing maintained that it respected press freedom and the media’s right to question those in power
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However, it argued that such freedom must be accompanied by responsible reporting and factual verification
The party’s legal cell has issued notices to Velugu’s management and editor, demanding that the report be withdrawn and an unconditional apology issued to Rao and the party. It has also warned of further legal action, including defamation proceedings, if its demands are not met within the stipulated period.
The dispute has also widened beyond the newspaper. On Monday, the BRS legal cell issued notices to Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Mahesh Kumar Goud, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Congress MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna over allegations concerning the alleged diversion of reservoir water to Rao’s farmland. The party demanded that they withdraw the allegations and remove related social media posts.
The allegations and the BRS’s objections have not been independently established in the material available. The controversy has brought renewed attention to the management of irrigation resources in Telangana and the political debate surrounding projects developed during the previous BRS government.
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