HYDERABAD: Lively discussion on Pattiseema project completion in the House saw CM poking fun at Oppn leader’s ‘ignorance over agriculture matters’ and Jagan retorting with ‘Naidu is under a false impression that he knows everything’
The normally serious-looking Chandrababu Naidu was a totally different person on the penultimate day of the ongoing budget session of the Assembly on Tuesday. The Chief Minister tried to keep the atmosphere in the House light and lively by cracking jokes and even poking fun at Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Apparently delighted over the way his government has completed the construction of the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project within the deadline of one year, he tried to enlighten Jagan, “who is much junior to him in politics” over the intricacies of irrigation projects, particularly the Pattiseema, in the House.
Virtually turning the Assembly into a classroom, Naidu ‘the tutor’, said, “I am a seven-time MLA. I have 40 years of experience in politics. Jagan is a first-time legislator. Irrigation is such a complex subject, first-timers can’t understand it. Hence, I am ready to take classes on irrigation issues to Jagan and his party MLAs so as to explain them the intricacies of irrigation projects.”
Earlier, the Chief Minister made a statement in the House over the way his government has completed the Pattiseema project, “by linking Godavari and Krishna rivers in the State” within one year.
“It is a great achievement for us. Even though some of the opposition leaders tried to create impediments to its construction like demons, we have successfully completed the project. Nowhere in the country has an irrigation project been constructed within one year. I am sure we will complete the Polavaram Irrigation Project also by March 29, 2019, with the help of the Centre,” Naidu asserted.
After completion of Naidu’s lengthy speech, Jagan ridiculed the claim of the Chief Minister, saying, “In spite of taking up the works of Polavaram, the government has wasted `1,600 crore on Pattiseema, which has no capacity to store a single drop of water.”
Objecting to Jagan’s criticism, Naidu tore into his bete noire, giving a point-by-point rebuttal of the opposition leader’s charges and highlighting the utility value of the Pattiseema project.
“Speaker... sir! The very purpose of the Pattiseema project is to divert the Godavari waters during floods, which otherwise go into the sea, to the Krishna delta to cater to the irrigation needs of the local farmers from June to November. It is not aimed at storing any water. I urge the honourable Leader of Opposition to acquire a little know-how about irrigation projects,” Naidu virtually teased the YSRC chief with a big laugh, even as the treasury benches joined chorus with Naidu by thumping on the benches.
Continuing his tirade against Jagan, Naidu said, “Speaker sir.. really we need to take classes to first-timers like Jagan on irrigation issues. I am ready to take lessons to them outside the House.” Turning to the YSRC chief’s side, the Chief Minister further said, “Jagan Reddy garu, I am telling you with folded hands. Try to learn the intricacies of irrigation subject. There is an opinion among people that you are an adamant and stubborn person. Please mend your ways. For anybody to excel in any field, some qualities are needed.”
Unnerved by the potshots taken at him, Jagan retorted, “Speaker sir... We can convince a person who doesn’t know anything. We can even convince a person who knows every thing. But, we can’t persuade an ignorant man, who thinks he is wise.” Then Naidu again continued to say that Jagan really needed lessons on irrigation projects.
“Jagan is never into farming. He doesn’t know agriculture. He only knows one business... that all of you know...”
Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, latter, announced the debate is concluded as the Pattiseema project had already been completed. For a while, the members of the YSRC stormed into the well of the House and demanded that the Speaker allow their leader to speak.
Concern over TS River Projects
Chief Minister Naidu expressed concern over the way the Telangana government is planning to construct more lift irrigation projects to divert Godavari and Krishna waters. “Ours is a lower riparian state. If the upper riparian states such as TS construct more projects, our interests on irrigation front might be affected,” he said, while refuting the allegations made by Jagan that Naidu government had compromised on AP interests with regard to river water sharing in lieu of bailing the TDP leadership out of the ‘cash-for-vote’ scam.
