Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Revanth Reddy Saturday threw a 'white challenge' at State Minister KT Rama Rao and former MP Konda Vishweswar Reddy to undergo drug analysis test to send a positive message against drug abuse.
"I announce a white challenge for the eradication of drugs in the state for all the politicians and celebrities. I will give my blood and hair samples to the doctors for showing my innocence in the ongoing allegations against me. I name IT Minister KT Rama Rao and ex-MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy to accept this challenge," Reddy said.
Reddy said that he would be present at the Gunpark at 12 noon on Monday and from there, he would go to any hospital that the Minister suggests. He said the 'white challenge' was similar to that of the 'green challenge' inviting celebrities to promote greenery.
Read: Telangana: KTR dares Rahul Gandhi for drug analysis test
Reportedly, KTR offered to undergo a drug test in response to criticism from Reddy that he had become the 'brand ambassador of drugs'. Rao said that the Congress leader was crossing all the limits of decency in linking him to the drugs' issue and as a matter of fact offered himself for the test. "How am I connected to this (drugs case). I will give blood, hair, and even liver samples. Will Rahul Gandhi too give his samples?," KTR asked in an informal chat with reporters.
Reddy had alleged that the minister intervened to help few film personalities in a four-year-old drug case. The excise department had constituted a special investigation team (SIT) for a comprehensive probe into a drugs racket that was busted in July 2017. The team had examined 62 individuals including 11 people connected with Tollywood. The SIT had collected blood, hair, nail and other samples from those it questioned and sent them for analysis. The SIT filed chargesheet in eight out of 12 cases, however, it gave clean chit to the film personalities. However, the ED recently summoned the Tollywood personalities, including actors Rakul Preet Singh and Rana Daggubati, for quesntioning.
(agency inputs)
