‘BRS trying to defame Cong govt’: Telangana minister hits back after row over CM Revanth Reddy's Hitler remark

HItting plunk for at BRS o'er its unfavorable judgment of Chief government minister A Revanth Reddy's der fuhrer remark, Telangana Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu on Monday said the CM was only emphasising decisiveness and speed of action while talking about HYDRAA and not referring to the Nazi dictator's violent ideology.The chief minister meant that law would be strictly enforced against land encroachers, Sridhar Babu told reporters here.He said the BRS is trying to defame the Congress government by harping on the word 'Hitler'.Also read: Indian workers among 7 killed in Dubai as minibus collides with truck"As HYDRAA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency) is creating fear in the minds of encroachers, some are shedding crocodile tears. KTR (BRS leader K T Rama Rao) is talking about Gandhi ji and Ambedkar. This is the joke of the century," he told reporters here.During the previous BRS regime, the then Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (also known as KCR) never visited the Secretariat, and his camp office-cum-official residence was not accessible to common people, he said.Recalling the allegations of phone-tapping during the BRS regime, Sridhar Babu asked if it was democratic functioning.Also read: ‘Response will be exactly this’: Iran's Ghalibaf warns US, Israel against further ceasefire violationsSridhar Babu also played a video of KCR related to his tenure as CM."I wanted to be Hitler. I don't feel shame. We will behave not just like Hitler but his grandfather if anyone uses government money indiscriminately," the former chief minister is heard saying in the video.Citing the video, the minister asked whether KCR implemented the ideology of Hitler when he was the chief minister.Observing that HYDRAA is functioning within the ambit of law, the minister said the agency is securing lakes, other water bodies and lands from the clutches of encroachers.Also read: Molten metal was at 1600°C, being moved in giant bucket: What we know about Vizag steel plant mishapCitizens living near such water bodies are hailing HYDRAA's actions, he said, wondering why KTR should feel bad if lands are freed from encroachments, he said.Revanth Reddy's remarks that he drew inspiration from Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler while naming HYDRAA have sparked a political row with the BRS and the BJP, strongly criticising him.Speaking at an event in Bengaluru on Saturday, Revanth Reddy had said he decided to establish HYDRAA after observing widespread encroachments of lakes and waterbodies."I can understand that poor people encroach on lakes and nalas. Nowadays, rich people are encroaching on waterbodies because of their farmhouses and connecting their drainage to the waterbodies. I have noticed all those issues. Then I decided to establish one task force--HYDRAA".He had further said, "Hydra was Hitler's favourite word. His core team, which can assassinate anyone, was called Hydra. So, I have taken inspiration from Hitler, and I have named it HYDRAA".K T Rama Rao launched a scathing attack on Revanth Reddy over his remarks, alleging that the chief minister's comments have exposed his "authoritarian and fascist" mindset before the entire nation.