Harish Rao postpones Japan tour as Mallannsagar protest intensifies

Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao cancelled his visit to Japan along with a delegation of the ministry officials on Monday after the Political JAC and the opposition parties agitation against the Mallannsagar project intensified.

The Japan tour was cancelled few hours prior to the departure of the delegation. Earlier, a GO was also issued by the government regarding the visit.

Addressing the media, Harish Rao who postponed his visit, reacted strongly against the Opposition parties for provoking farmers of various villages and intensifying the protests. Stating that the project was taken up as per the wishes of the farmers, the Minister said that the government had not pressurized people to give up their lands. He also criticized the Opposition parties for deliberately hurdling the process of taking up the project and gaining political mileage.

The situation turned intense after the police lathi charge on opposition padayatra on Sunday following which the Opposition parties have intensified the agitation. The opposition is accusing the TRS government of unnecessarily charging on the peaceful demonstrators.