Gangula slams Eatala for launching personal attack on him

He pointed out that Rajender who chants the mantra of self-respect, was continuing in the TRS party despite being sacked from the State Cabinet

Karimnagar: BC Welfare and Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar came down heavily on former Minister and Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajender for making personal comments against him and his businesses. He stated that he was not scared of such threats as he belonged to BC community. He pointed out that Rajender who chants the mantra of self-respect, was continuing in the TRS party despite being sacked from the State Cabinet. He dared him to resign to the party as well as MLA post if there was any self-respect left in the latter and get re-elected.

Addressing the press conference in Huzurabad on Tuesday morning, Rajender alleged that Karimangar has been made a graveyard with the granite quarries taken up by Kamalakar and others. Sharply reacting to the former Minister’s statement, Kamalakar asked as to why Rajender had been tight-lipped on granite quarries being operated in his Huzurabad constituency by people from Tamil Nadu and wondered what was his nexus with these quarry owners. About 20 to 25 quarries were being operated since 1985, he said.

Speaking to mediapersons in Karimnagar, Kamalakar said thousands of granite quarries have been operated across the State and demanded to know whether Rajender brought the issue to the notice of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao during his tenure as a Minister or made any attempts to close them. He rubbished the allegations of tax evasion and stated that he owns a single quarry as against 350 quarries being operated in Karimnagar district. He pointed out that the tax evasion allegations were made against him in 2008 and a vigilance committee appointed by the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh government gave a clean chit to him.

“If what Rajender is alleging is true, why did he not initiate action against me after taking over as the then Finance Minister. I dare him to write the issue to the CBI to investigate how many quarries evaded the tax. I am ready to pay five times higher tax if it is proved that I am a tax defaulter,” he said. He added that he was in granite business since 1992 even before entering the politics.

Pointing out that his former colleague was not surrendering the assigned land occupied by him in Medak district though the government officers’ committee made it clear that the former Minister encroached the assigned lands, Kamalakar demanded that Rajender should surrender the assigned lands if the latter had any self-respect. He alleged that a Rs 3 crore scam occurred in the Civil Supplies department during Rajender’s stint as Civil Supplies Minister and the issue was closed.

Reacting on Rajender’s prediction that TRS would not come into power in the 2023 elections, the Minister said, “Rajender also wished for my defeat during the 2018 elections, but I have emerged victorious. His dreams will never be fulfilled as more than 80 percent of people in the State are with the TRS party,” he said.

Can’t buy self-respect, says Eatala

Karimnagar: Former minister and Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajender on Tuesday said it was not possible to buy self-respect of people of the constituency. Rajender was addressing a press conference at Huzurabad.

Alleging that local public representatives and leaders were being summoned to the residence of BC Welfare and Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar, he said it was not proper on the part of the Minister “to harass public representatives from Huzurabad by threatening to stall bills of works done by them”.

“Being a Minister, you should follow some ethics and values. Power is not permanent. After 2023, you will not have power,” he said.

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