In a scathing attack on the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Friday, State Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy questioned why its leaders, including former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and former Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao, were terrified of a judicial investigation into the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) if they truly thought it was a “marvelous engineering achievement.”

Speaking to the media, Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “The BRS leadership has been waging a propaganda war rather than collaborating ever since the Judicial Commission, which is led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice PC Ghose, delivered notifications. Why don’t they come before the Commission and present their case if they are confident in the project? Given the manner KTR is assaulting institutions and disseminating false information, he ought to be called “Goebbels Rao.”

Uttam cautioned that intentional efforts to damage the Commission’s reputation might have legal repercussions and denounced BRS leaders for “disparaging a judicial process.” “Just because you were requested to reply to inquiries on the Kaleshwaram project does not give you the right to disparage an organization. “The law will work itself out,” he said.

Uttam questioned the intentions of BRS commanders, citing recent comments they made about sabotage at the Medigadda barrage. “When the FIR was filed, you were employed by the government. Then, why didn’t you include this “bomb” theory? Why now? Are you fabricating dramatic distractions in an attempt to evade the legal system?” he inquired. “Instead of yelling from rooftops, present such evidence to the Commission.”

He said that, despite the difficulty of the endeavor, the Congress administration was looking for methods to revitalize and reuse the Kaleshwaram project. “We are working to rescue what we can in a fact-based, non-political manner. However, the underpinnings are flawed. The deception is shown in every test report. The truth is coming to light, which is why BRS officials are in a panic—not because of politics.