Human Rights Forum strongly condemns the house arrest of Syed Bilal, Vice President of our City Committee and an activist working for the rights of the people living in Musi and nearby settlements. This action comes as Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is set to release the Detailed Project Report (DPR) presentation regarding the Musi Beautification Project in the city today.
Along with several other social organizations, activists, and intellectuals, we have been demanding from the proposal stage itself that the government make this report accessible to all citizens and seek the public’s opinion on the necessity of this project. Renowned social activist Medha Patkar has also written a letter to the Chief Minister urging the Congress party not to displace people in the name of the “Gandhi Sarovar Project” and to withdraw the proposal.
Neither the Human Rights Forum nor other organizations have any objection to the government cleaning the Musi River. In fact, we demand that it be done. However, we oppose the forceful eviction of people from legally constructed houses and the removal of long-term residents from the Musi banks without providing proper rehabilitation.
If the government cannot tolerate the expression of dissent in a democracy, it must be termed as authoritarianism.
Our organization demands that the government stop resorting to house arrests of our activist Syed Bilal and other social workers. We urge the government to take the opinions of the public, activists, and intellectuals into account and respect the housing rights of the common people while undertaking the Musi River cleaning project. Furthermore, we demand that the Gandhi Sarovar be restricted to the existing Bapu Ghat premises only.
Dr. Tirupataiah, State General Secretary.
S. Jeevan Kumar, Member, Coordination Committee for Both States.
M. Suresh Babu, President, Hyderabad Unit.
Sanjeev, General Secretary, Hyderabad Unit.
Hyderabad,
13-03-2026.