Revanth Reddy's 'inspired by Hitler' remark on HYDRAA sparks political row in Telangana
Synopsis
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy's offhand remark — that Hitler inspired the name HYDRAA — has handed the opposition a political grenade. With BRS and BJP amplifying the quote nationally, and HYDRAA's demolition record already a sore point, the Congress government in Hyderabad faces a rare moment where a single sentence may overshadow an agency that has reclaimed ₹80,000 crore worth of public land.
Key Takeaways
Revanth Reddy said he took inspiration from Adolf Hitler when naming HYDRAA , at a Bengaluru event on Saturday, 7 June .
HYDRAA , established in 2024 , has reclaimed 2,182 acres of government land worth ₹80,000 crore through demolitions across Hyderabad.
BRS Working President KTR posted on X , calling HYDRAA an 'assassination agency' and demanding a national reckoning.
Kishan Reddy demanded an unconditional apology, linking the remark to Congress's 'Hitler and Emergency mindset.' State BJP President N.
Ramchander Rao warned those who follow Hitler 'will meet the same fate' and condemned separate remarks made at a Mahabubnagar event.
Chandrasekhar Rao has previously pledged to scrap HYDRAA as the first act if BRS returns to power.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy sparked a sharp political controversy on Saturday, 7 June after stating that he drew inspiration from Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler when naming the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). The remark, made during a conversation with The Hindu Group Director N. Ram at an event in Bengaluru, drew immediate condemnation from the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
What Revanth Reddy Said
'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,' the Chief Minister said at the Bengaluru event. The remark was made in the context of defending HYDRAA's aggressive demolition drives against encroachments on water bodies, parks, and government land across Hyderabad.
What HYDRAA Is and What It Has Done
The Congress government in Telangana established HYDRAA in 2024 to protect public assets, manage disasters, and reclaim encroached lands. Led by IPS officer A.V. Ranganath, the agency has so far reclaimed 2,182 acres of government land valued at ₹80,000 crore by clearing encroachments on open lands, lakes, nalas, and parks. Opposition parties have repeatedly accused HYDRAA of targeting the homes of the poor in its demolition drives.
BRS Fires Back — With a Quote on X
BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) posted sharply on social media platform X, thanking the Chief Minister for what he called a national clarification. '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. He added: '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.'
Notably, BRS President and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had previously announced that if BRS returns to power, scrapping HYDRAA would be the first file it signs.
BJP Demands Apology, Escalates Attack
Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy wrote on X that Congress' 'Hitler and Emergency' mindset had 'come out in the open yet again.' He said: '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.'
State BJP President N. Ramchander Rao warned that 'those who follow Hitler will meet with the same fate as his.' He also condemned remarks allegedly made by the Chief Minister against Union Ministers Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar at a separate meeting in Mahabubnagar district on Saturday, calling them 'full of arrogance.' Ramchander Rao specifically flagged the phrase 'do not let them cross the border' as unbecoming of a Chief Minister's office.
What Comes Next
The controversy deepens an already fraught political climate in Telangana, where HYDRAA's demolition drives have been a persistent flashpoint between the ruling Congress and opposition parties. With both BRS and BJP amplifying the Hitler remark nationally, the Chief Minister is likely to face sustained pressure to clarify or retract his statement. Whether the Congress government in Hyderabad moves to defend the remark or distances itself from it will set the tone for the next phase of this political battle.
Point of View
He has handed the opposition a ready-made national narrative that overshadows HYDRAA's substantive record: 2,182 acres reclaimed, ₹80,000 crore in public land restored. The BJP's Emergency-to-Hitler framing is opportunistic, but it lands because it fits a pre-existing critique about authoritarian governance styles. More telling is that HYDRAA's own credibility problem — accusations that it demolishes the homes of the poor while sparing the politically connected — remains unaddressed in the controversy. The remark may pass, but the underlying questions about HYDRAA's targeting choices will not.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Telangana CM Revanth Reddy say about Hitler and HYDRAA?
Revanth Reddy said at a Bengaluru event on 7 June that he drew inspiration from Adolf Hitler when naming HYDRAA, explaining that Hitler's core team was also called HYDRAA and could 'assassin anyone.' The remark was made during a conversation with The Hindu Group Director N. Ram.
What is HYDRAA and what has it done?
HYDRAA — the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency — was established by the Telangana Congress government in 2024 to reclaim encroached public land and protect government assets. It has reclaimed 2,182 acres of government land worth ₹80,000 crore across Hyderabad, though opposition parties accuse it of targeting homes of the poor.
How did BRS and BJP respond to the Hitler remark?
BRS Working President KTR posted on X calling HYDRAA an 'assassination agency' and thanked Revanth Reddy for 'clarifying to the entire nation.' Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy demanded an unconditional apology, while State BJP President N. Ramchander Rao warned that those who follow Hitler will meet the same fate.
Has HYDRAA faced criticism before this controversy?
Yes. HYDRAA has faced sustained criticism from opposition parties, who accuse it of demolishing houses of the poor while carrying out its drives. BRS President K. Chandrasekhar Rao has pledged to scrap the agency as the first act if BRS returns to power in Telangana.
