Congress government’s Rs.8,888 crore AMRUT 2.0 scam tip of an iceberg: KTR
KTR warned that if the BJP at the Centre failed to act, it would be seen as collusion with the Congress government in Telangana.
Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday revealed a massive scam involving the family of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, which, amounting to Rs.8,888 crore, revolves around the awarding of contracts under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme.
Addressing a news conference at Telangana Bhavan, Rama Rao said the Chief Minister would not be allowed to go scot free in the scandal. Stating that the Chief Minister showed undue favoritism by awarding contracts to Shoda Constructions Private Limited, a company owned by his brother-in-law, Srujan Reddy, he said despite making a profit of only Rs.2 crore last year, Shoda Constructions was awarded contracts worth Rs.1,137.77 crore.
Questioning the eligibility of the company to handle such large-scale projects, Rama Rao also pointed that the Indian Hume Pipe Company Limited, which was roped in to benefit the CM’s family, in compliance with SEBI regulations, declared that a joint venture was formed with AMR India Limited and Shoda Constructions to execute water supply and sewerage projects. However, the Indian Hume Pipe company would only execute 20 percent of the works, valued at Rs.27.55 crore.
Rama Rao had on Friday written to union Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and others, demanding an inquiry into the alleged corruption in the AMRUT tenders. He pointed out that after the Congress came to power in Telangana, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development department had so far awarded contracts worth a staggering Rs.8,888 crore under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme alone. All these contracts had to be probed, he said.
He called for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth about the contracts awarded to the Chief Minister’s family members and to ensure transparency in the tendering process. He also urged the union government to review all tenders awarded since the formation of the Congress government in Telangana and to cancel any found to be irregular.
Rama Rao emphasized that the Chief Minister owed an explanation to the people of Telangana. Pointing out that similar violations of the office for profit clause have led to the prosecution of prominent political figures, including Sonia Gandhi and former Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa and Ashok Chavan, Rama Rao called for the Prevention of Corruption Act to be invoked against Revanth Reddy.
Rama Rao also criticized the silence of BJP leaders from Telangana on the issue, suggesting possible collusion between the BJP at the Centre and the Congress in the State. The BJP leaders from Telangana, including BJLP legislature party leader A Maheswar Reddy, had previously raised the issue but have since fallen silent. He suggested that this silence might be due to party leadership’s influence. Rama Rao urged BJP ministers from the State, G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, to ensure transparency and accountability in the matter.
Rama Rao also warned that if the BJP at the Centre failed to act, it would be seen as collusion with the Congress government in Telangana.
