What’s Behind RR’s 'Hitler' Reference?

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy triggered a row with the remark that he took inspiration from Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler to create Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), which has been carrying out demolitions in and around Hyderabad to remove encroachments on water bodies, parks and other government property.

Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday came down heavily on the Chief Minister for his remark and said that Congress' dangerous Hitler mindset has come out in the open.

"HYDRAA is Hitler's favourite word. His core team called HYDRAA who can assassin anyone. So, I have taken inspiration from Hitler and name it as HYDRAA," he said during a conversation with 'The Hindu' Group Director N. Ram at an event in Bengaluru on Saturday.

The Congress government in the state established HYDRAA in 2024 to protect public assets, manage disasters and reclaim encroached lands across Hyderabad.

It has so far reclaimed 2,182 acres of government land worth Rs 80,000 crore by removing encroachments on open lands, lakes, nalas and parks.

The agency led by IPS officer A.V. Ranganath has come under sharp criticism from opposition parties for the demolitions carried out at various places. They accused HYDRAA of targeting houses of the poor.

BRS President and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao recently announced that once the BRS returns to power, the first file to be signed by it will be to scrap HYDRAA.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's remarks made at Bengaluru event have drawn the ire of the main opposition BRS.

BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) posted on social media platform X that people of Telangana knew it and thanked CM Revanth Reddy for clarifying it to the entire nation.

"Your inspiration is Hitler! Your assassination agency is HYDRAA! You worship dictators and brag about demolitions. Of course, people of Telangana knew. Thanks for clarifying it to the entire nation," KTR wrote.

"We were not as intelligent as you, Revanth! So, we modeled our governance on B.R. Ambedkar's Constitution, Mahatma Gandhi's vision, and Professor Jayashankar's dream," the BRS leader added.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy said that Congress' dangerous "Hitler and Emergency" mindset has come out in the open yet again.

"Revanth Reddy, now openly boasting that Hitler inspired him to create HYDRAA and is comparing his demolitions in Hyderabad to those in war-torn countries like Iran and Israel, echoing his leader Rahul Gandhi's language. From Emergency to Hitler -- Congress has always muzzled people. Revanth Reddy needs to hang his head in shame and tender an unconditional apology to the people of Telangana," the Union Minister wrote on X.

Meanwhile, State BJP President N. Ramchander Rao has remarked that those who follow Hitler will meet with the same fate as his.

On Chief Minister Revanth Reddy questioning what the Central government has given to Telangana, Ramchander Rao said they are ready for an open discussion on the issue of what the Central government has given to Telangana and what the state government has given to the districts.

"If you decide on a date and time, we are prepared to come and discuss it even at the Secretariat gate," he added.

The BJP leaders also condemned the remarks made by the Chief Minister against Union Ministers Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar at the meeting held on Saturday in Mahabubnagar district.

The State BJP President said that these remarks by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy are full of arrogance.

"Using language like 'do not let them cross the border' is in no way befitting of the Chief Minister's stature. If the BJP workers decide, a situation will arise where Congress MLAs, MPs, and Ministers will not be able to move around in the villages," Ramchander Rao added.