Pawan Kalyan's
Seven-Year Fight
for Andhra's
Construction Workers

Pawan Kalyan begins by welcoming the leaders of the Construction Workers' Welfare Association. He emphasises that his concern for construction workers is not new, nor is it merely about the current sand shortage. He recalls a 2009 meeting in Hyderabad where he first heard their grievances. He expresses deep pain seeing those who build homes for everyone else being forced onto the streets, struggling with hunger. He notes that while policies change, the physical hardship of carrying heavy loads remains a constant reality for these workers.

He highlights the scale of the crisis, noting that nearly 1.9 million registered construction workers and another 1.5 million from related sectors (totalling about 3.5 million people) depend on this industry. He accuses the government of collecting huge amounts of welfare funds (cess) from builders but failing to distribute the benefits to the actual labourers. He lists eight primary welfare demands — including marriage and insurance benefits — that are currently being ignored by the administration.

Kalyan explains that the Janasena Party was not formed for immediate political gain or high positions, but out of frustration with a system where common people are "squeezed like pulp" by corruption and bribes. He states that the party exists to provide a "voice" (Galam) to those who feel they have no one to turn to. He asserts that his current support is not for elections, but out of a genuine desire to prevent people from losing faith in society due to neglect.

He slams the YCP government for its "vengeful" politics. He claims that in an attempt to undo the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) policies, the current government abruptly banned sand mining, which directly hit the lihoods of 3.5 million workers. He points out the irony: the government claims to create jobs for "Village Volunteers" while simultaneously stripping away the lihoods of five times as many construction workers. He demands a return to the "status quo" (previous system) until a better, non-disruptive policy is formulated.

Drawing from his own experience managing large teams, Kalyan speaks about the human cost of the crisis. He notes that many skilled workers and contractors have already left the state or profession due to the four-month work stoppage. He warns that even if sand becomes available tomorrow, it will take at least two years for the industry to recover and for masters to bring back the trusted workforce they have lost.

He breaks down the "official vs. unofficial" costs of sand, noting that while the official price is low, workers are forced to pay double or triple after bribes to officials like VROs and transport costs. He warns the workers that the government's recent "Sand Review Meetings" are merely a tactic to weaken the Janasena's planned protest in Vizag. He tells them not to be fooled by "temporary cooling measures" or empty promises meant to suppress their anger.

Kalyan compares the situation to Telangana, where political parties united for 48,000 workers, yet in AP, millions are suffering without a strong political response. He calls for a "Maha Dharna" (Great Protest) on November 3rd in Visakhapatnam. He demands that the government use its "Village Secretariat" system to proactively register all 3.5 million workers for welfare benefits, rather than making uneducated workers navigate a complex bureaucracy.

He concludes by stating that the November 3rd protest is just the beginning, not the end. He pledges that Janasena will stand like an "elder brother" to the construction workers until all eight of their demands are met. He promises to fight for a future where those who build houses for the world finally have a permanent home of their own. He thanks the association leaders and ends with the slogan, "Jai Janasena."