Govt admits wrongdoing, now hiding it: Harish Rao dares Revanth to face judicial probe
BRS leader T Harish Rao launched a scathing attack on the ruling Congress, accusing it of admitting irregularities linked to Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s company but attempting to cover them up through diversionary tactics. He demanded a judicial or House Committee probe into alleged illegal mining by Raghava Constructions.
Hyderabad: Upping the ante, BRLP deputy leader T Harish Rao ripped into the ruling Congress for effectively admitting wrongdoing by Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy‘s company and then attempting to cover it up with diversion tactics.
He dared Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to agree to a judicial or House Committee probe into allegations against both their families. He condemned repeated attempts made to drag his family into the controversy to dilute the charges.
“I am ready for any probe. Is the Chief Minister ready?” he asked.
Speaking to the media at Telangana Bhavan on Sunday, Harish Rao said the government effectively conceded irregularities involving a firm linked to Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy.
He pointed to Revanth Reddy himself citing the government notices issued to Raghava Constructions and inadvertently admitting to irregularities that exposed the government in the Assembly.
However, he said instead of acting on its own admission, the government launched a counter-offensive to deflect attention. “To cover up one mistake, they are committing ten more. Lies are being piled up to shield the Minister,” he charged, citing contradictory claims made by the Chief Minister and the Ministers on permitting diesel generators due to unavailability of electricity meters and then admitting to imposing fines for illegal mining.
“How could the government permit diesel generators for illegal mining? If it was not illegal mining, why did they impose fines,” he asked.
At the centre of the confrontation is the BRS demand for a House Committee probe into alleged illegal mining by Raghava Constructions. However, the government announced a CB-CID inquiry which Harish Rao dismissed as a cover-up mechanism.
“If a Minister himself is being investigated, how can a CB-CID probe be impartial? This is nothing but an attempt to protect Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy,” he said, reiterating the demand for the Minister’s resignation and ordering an all-party House Committee.
Harish Rao threw a direct challenge to the Chief Minister who levelled multiple allegations of irregularities against the former’s family members during the BRS regime.
“If Revanth Reddy is ready for an inquiry into the allegations against his family including his brother involved in the TDR scam and his brother-in-law involved in the AMRUT tender scam, I am ready to face a judicial or House Committee probe into allegations against my family members. Let us both agree to a sitting judge’s inquiry,” he dared.
The BRSLP deputy leader accused the government of deliberately derailing Assembly proceedings to avoid debate. He felt that the announcement of the CB-CID probe was pre-emptive, aimed at silencing opposition demands.
He alleged that caste was invoked inside the House to divert attention from the core issue. He alleged that references to his family were deliberately introduced to dilute the mining controversy.
“Instead of answering on illegal mining, they are indulging in character assassination through false narratives,” he said.
Harish Rao pointed to official actions, including notices and penalties imposed by the Mining department as evidence of violations against irregularities.
“If there was no wrongdoing, why were fines imposed? If there was, why no action beyond penalties?” he asked, alleging that illegal mining caused losses running into hundreds of crores to the State exchequer.
He said though the government admitted irregularities, it was refusing to act, which exposed the nexus,” he asserted.
He explained a nexus between the Chief Minister and the Minister in allocation of contracts, including the Kodangal Lift Irrigation Scheme and the Musi riverfront development project. He pointed to allegations of land-related irregularities using the Bhu Bharati portal and putting certain lands in the prohibited list illegally.
Warning of sustained agitation, Harish Rao said the BRS would not relent until a credible, and independent investigation is ordered. “This is about protecting public resources. The government stands exposed—both for what it admitted and what it is now trying to hide,” he said.
Demanding immediate dismissal of Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, he asked the government to stop hiding behind agencies.
He said the government referring allegations against BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy to the Ethics Committee was a conspiracy to silence the latter from exposing the government’s wrongdoings.
