Hyderabad: Taking exception to former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao describing the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal as a "dark day," state BJP president G Kishan Reddy on Saturday asked how is it vindictive when the accused were arrested by investigation agencies over allegations of corruption.
Rao, also known as KCR, should tell people as to why he did not respond when his daughter and BRS MLC K Kavitha was arrested and why he chose to respond now when Kejriwal was arrested, Kishan Reddy, also an Union Minister, said. When investigation agencies issued many notices to Kejriwal or Kavitha, they did not respond to the notices but tried to dilute the probe, he alleged.
"All (people) are supporting Kejriwal's arrest and probe into liquor scam. Because, there is proof black and white. Facts have come out in the probe. I am asking KCR. Can you say that your family has nothing to do with the liquor scam that happened in Delhi," Kishan Reddy told reporters here. "Can KCR state that Kejriwal or his cabinet colleagues have nothing to do with the Delhi liquor scam? How is it a dark day," he said.
Kishan Reddy said he challenged KCR to prove in a public debate that Kejriwal or the AAP government in Delhi were not at fault and that the ED has filed cases unnecessarily. He claimed that he is ready to prove the corruption of the AAP government in the liquor issue. The BRS leaders are linking Kavitha's arrest with Telangana but her arrest has nothing to do with Telangana politics or the BJP, he said.
Alleging that there is no difference between the BRS and Congress, he said the ruling Congress had promised to shut illegal liquor vends but the outlets that existed during BRS regime are still continuing. "The Government of Telangana converted all wine shops officially as open bars. Besides shops, anybody can drink openly. There is an official order. Governments should be ashamed of this," he said.
Women are not able to move freely in residential localities due to the presence of liquor shops, he said. The revenue to Telangana government through liquor business was Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore in 2014 but it reached Rs 40,000 crore before the BRS lost power recently, he claimed. He alleged that the Congress government in Telangana is imposing "Rahul Gandhi tax" on liquor businessmen.
Reddy reiterated his allegation that private companies, builders and contractors are being threatened under the Congress government into shelling out money. "All India Congress party is being run with the money collected in Telangana," he alleged. He further alleged that the ruling Congress has put the "corruption of BRS" in cold storage.
Congress had spoken about investigation into the alleged irregularities in irrigation during the BRS regime and the party can now order a CBI probe since it is in power, Kishan Reddy said. "If you are sincere, don't put corruption scandals in cold storage but take steps to investigate and let people know facts," he said.
Kishan Reddy reiterated that his party would independently fight all the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana. Former Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday condemned the arrest of Kejriwal, claiming that the arrest was a "dark day in the history of democracy in the country." The recent arrests of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and BRS MLC K Kavitha prove that the BJP-led Centre's sole intention is to "ruin the opposition parties in the country", he alleged in a statement on Friday.
State Congress vice-president Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy had dismissed as "nonsense" when Kishan Reddy had made allegations in February this year that Congress government in the state is not implementing poll promises but is engaged in "carrying suitcases to Delhi as per the directions" of party leader Rahul Gandhi.
