RS Praveen Kumar dares Congress to probe his Gurukul tenure, alleges Rs 2,000-cr tender scam

BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar has challenged the Congress government to investigate his nine-year tenure as Gurukul Secretary, asserting that no wrongdoing has been found despite 18 months of scrutiny.

Hyderabad: BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar intensified his attack on the Congress government, reiterating allegations of irregularities in the Gurukul procurement tenders. 

Throwing an open challenge to the government, the former IPS officer said the Congress Ministers were free to investigate his nine-year tenure as Secretary of the Gurukul institutions.

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“Conduct an inquiry against me and prove your charges, if you have the courage,” he said, asserting that despite 18 months of scrutiny under the Congress government, no wrongdoing had been found against him. He declared that any inquiry against him would instead reveal the doctors, engineers and scientists who had emerged from the Gurukul system during his tenure.

Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan on Friday, Praveen Kumar accused Congress Ministers of evading a public debate on the alleged Rs 2,000-crore Gurukul tender scam by using the police to prevent BRS leaders from reaching Gun Park. He said Harish Rao and other leaders including him were arrested to block the proposed debate.

The BRS leader alleged that G.O. No. 17 centralised procurement and facilitated corruption. He insisted that the procurement process, projected as transparent by the government, was marred by large-scale irregularities and vowed that the BRS would continue its campaign until the order was withdrawn.

He questioned whether Welfare Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Adluri Laxman Kumar and Mohammed Azharuddin had approved GO No. 17. He accused Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Adluri Laxman Kumar of shielding the Chief Minister instead of addressing the allegations. 

Praveen Kumar said the Congress government ignored institutional procedures in the procurement process. Those responsible for the current procurement decisions would ultimately face legal consequences, he asserted.