India, June 7 -- Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy has sparked a controversy over his reference to Adolf Hitler while praising the success of the HYDRAA project in the state.

Speaking at an event in Bengaluru, Reddy was asked how successful the HYDRAA project had been. In response, he said that no one now dares to encroach upon lakes and water bodies.

HYDRAA stands for the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency. It is a specialised task force set up by Reddy, in July 2024, to protect government lands, parks and lakes. It is known most prominently in the public imagination for carrying out demolitions.

Reddy said the need for such a task force, which employs thousands of retired army officers, arose after he witnes...