Hyderabad: TPCC working president T Jagga Reddy came down hard on Union Minister Kishan Reddy for what he called an attempt to politicise the Gulzar Houz fire that claimed 17 lives.
Speaking at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday, Jagga Reddy said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy acted swiftly and responsibly while some leaders chose to sling mud.
“As soon as the news broke, CM Revanth Reddy alerted GHMC officials and ministers. He didn’t rush to the spot because he didn’t want to disturb ongoing rescue operations,” Jagga Reddy said.
He added that no matter how much is done, the loss of 17 lives is irreversible. “Even my close associate’s family was affected in this tragedy.”
Jagga Reddy acknowledged Kishan Reddy’s visit but questioned his conduct. “He forgot he’s a Union Minister. He spoke like a street-level leader. That hurt.”
He said it was unfortunate that instead of calling the Chief Minister or the Prime Minister to discuss aid, Kishan Reddy opted for blame games. “This isn’t the Kishan Reddy I know. He shouldn’t have acted that way,” he said, while hinting at hearsay that the visit may have been orchestrated by KTR.
“I even wondered – does Kishan Reddy act only when Modi tells him, or does KTR’s word matter too?” he remarked.
Drawing comparisons, Jagga Reddy pointed to the Gujarat bridge collapse that killed 140. “Did Rahul Gandhi abuse Modi then?” he asked. “This tragedy isn’t small. Revanth Reddy also wanted to save those 17 lives.”
He accused Kishan Reddy of selective outrage. “When two people died during Bharat Mata Yatra fireworks, or a man died at Tank Bund, Revanth didn’t blame you. Why throw mud now?”
Jagga Reddy reminded that when rain damaged the recently inaugurated Charlapalli railway station, no criticism came from Revanth. “He behaved like a responsible CM. But you’re behaving irresponsibly.”
He concluded by urging the minister to stop the accusations and focus on service. “There’s buzz that Kishan Reddy is speaking at KTR’s behest. If that’s true, it’s a shame. Stop the attacks, learn to serve.”
