BRS Leader Challenges Telangana CM to Joint Corruption Investigation
In a dramatic political confrontation, senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader T Harish Rao has issued a direct challenge to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Rao declared that if the chief minister is willing to permit a House committee investigation into alleged corruption involving his relatives and associates, he is equally prepared to undergo a similar probe into his own family members and close connections.
Demand for Judicial Probe Over House Committee
Addressing media representatives on Sunday, Harish Rao made a significant proposal, arguing that neither a House committee nor a Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) inquiry was necessary. Instead, he strongly advocated for a comprehensive investigation led by a sitting judge to examine the corruption allegations thoroughly.
"I question whether Chief Minister Revanth Reddy possesses the courage to agree to such a transparent judicial investigation," Rao stated emphatically during his press interaction.
Allegations of Defensive Government Tactics
Harish Rao leveled serious accusations against the state government, claiming it was adopting defensive postures and resorting to counterattacks because Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy's company was allegedly involved in corrupt activities. According to Rao, the administration was employing diversionary tactics precisely because it lacked substantive answers to corruption allegations.
The BRS leader further alleged that party member Kaushik Reddy was facing threats for questioning the government about corruption matters. Rao demanded that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy be referred to the ethics committee for reportedly using inappropriate language during assembly proceedings.
Specific Mining Corruption Allegations
Regarding the alleged mining corruption, Harish Rao insisted that a sitting judge should investigate rather than the CB-CID, asserting that "everyone is fully aware of the minister's wrongdoing." He demanded the immediate dismissal of Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, arguing that a fair and impartial investigation would be impossible while he remained in office.
Rao revealed additional details, claiming that a penalty of approximately Rs 28 lakh had been imposed on the minister but remained unpaid, and criticized the pollution control board for failing to take appropriate action in the matter.
Assembly Proceedings and Broader Investigation Demand
Accusing the government of committing repeated errors to conceal a single mistake in the assembly, Harish Rao disclosed that a formal letter had been submitted to the speaker requesting a sitting judge-led probe into twenty distinct issues. He described how BRS members had stood for four and a half hours without being permitted to speak during assembly sessions.
Rao concluded his challenge by daring the government to establish a house committee specifically focused on Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy's alleged activities, framing this as a test of the administration's commitment to transparency and accountability.
The political confrontation highlights escalating tensions in Telangana's political landscape, with corruption allegations becoming a central battleground between the ruling Congress government and the opposition BRS party.
