Emphasising that India cannot progress as a nation if great leaders are confined to caste identities, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Saturday said that such tendencies would reduce society to fragmented groups rather than a united people. Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the ‘Amarajeevi Jaladhara’ drinking water project, he said that the project is being taken up at a cost of Rs 3,050 crore to provide safe drinking water to the people of the both Godavari districts.

Addressing a public meeting in Peravali of Nidadavole Assembly constituency, Pawan Kalyan said leaders such as Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi and Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu thought and worked for all sections of society and must be viewed beyond caste and regional boundaries. Recalling a personal experience, he said he was deeply pained to learn that Potti Sriramulu’s statue was located near a community choultry, noting that a leader who sacrificed his life for all Telugu people should not be confined to a single caste or district.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the State government is spending Rs 7,910 crore across five districts on Amarajeevi Jaladhara water grid projects, with the objective of quenching the thirst of nearly 1.21 crore people over the next 35 years. Special focus has been placed on coastal areas of the erstwhile East and West Godavari districts to benefit fishing communities. The government aims to complete the project by 2027.

Explaining the naming of the project, Pawan Kalyan said it was inspired by leaders who made immense sacrifices for Telugu unity and self-respect, including Burgula Ramakrishna Rao and Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu. He pointed out that groundwater in the Godavari districts has become contaminated, forcing people to buy drinking water, and stressed that providing safe water is a fundamental responsibility of the State.

He also highlighted development initiatives undertaken by the coalition government, including CC roads, farm ponds, mini Gokulams and horticulture support, stating that political restraint and collective leadership made these achievements possible. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending full support to Andhra Pradesh and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for his administrative experience in steering the State on a growth path. He warned that strict action would be taken if there were any compromises on quality in road works or the Jaladhara project.

Pawan warns opposition of UP like measures

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan issued strong warnings to YSR Congress Party chief Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, cautioning against the threats and intimidation by party leaders. He said those who failed to deliver while in power had no moral right to threaten people by claiming they would return to office.

“If political decisions are taken firmly against hired gangs and intimidation politics, one must think about where such leaders will stand,” he remarked, adding that the government would not hesitate to adopt strict law-and-order measures, if necessary, on the lines followed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Pawan Kalyan warned against misinformation campaigns and personal abuse on social media, stating that the government would not remain a silent spectator. He criticised attempts to sow caste-based divisions among children and society, calling it a dangerous regression. Stressing that the coalition government welcomes constructive criticism, he said it would also take tough decisions in the larger interest of the State. He reiterated that the Amarajeevi Jaladhara project is a people’s project, not linked to any single caste or community, and will be completed by 2027.