KTR says SIT probe is a diversion to mask Congress failures
Rama Rao, the working president of BRS, stated on Friday that inquiry officers within the Special Investigation Team had no answers to the questions he posed regarding media leaks during the last two years. Speaking at Telangana Bhavan following an eight-hour inquiry session concerning phone tapping allegations, Rama Rao described the entire proceeding as a calculated diversionary tactic. He remarked that the Congress-led government is currently utilizing investigative agencies to provide entertainment for the public, effectively distracting them from administrative failures and unfulfilled electoral promises.
During his interaction with the media, Rama Rao challenged investigative agencies to address the reality of surveillance under the present regime. He claimed that the culture of phone tapping has not only persisted but has extended into the government's own ranks. He cited reports of a sitting Minister informing journalists that he could not speak freely due to constant surveillance. Rama Rao questioned why the government remains silent on these contemporary allegations while simultaneously using the SIT to peddle fictional stories intended to tarnish the reputation of the opposition.
The BRS leader dismissed the substance of the inquiry, describing it as a repetitive exercise where officials spent hours reading out hundreds of names without presenting any concrete evidence. He noted that despite the lengthy questioning, the SIT failed to provide clarity on who was responsible for the persistent leaks to the media that have targeted the character and personal lives of BRS leaders and their families. He demanded to know who was accountable for the narratives the police have been running and the resulting anguish caused to their families. While the police personnel denied providing these leaks, Rama Rao questioned their inability to prevent them.
Furthermore, Rama Rao demanded to know why the government had not constituted SITs to probe high-profile corruption allegations involving the current leadership. He highlighted several pressing issues, including an alleged Rs 300 crore extortion attempt involving a Minister’s OSD, land grabbing allegations against a Revenue Minister’s son, and the controversial awarding of AMRUT scheme tenders to the brother-in-law of the Chief Minister. He argued that if the law were truly equal for all, these documented cases of corruption would be under the same level of scrutiny as the current SIT inquiry.
Rama Rao emphasized that the BRS is not intimidated by political vendettas or police notices. He stated that if the party leadership were afraid, they would have sought legal stays or requested extensions. Instead, both he and Harish Rao appeared immediately upon being summoned. He urged the government to stop playing diversion games and focus on delivering the 420 promises made to the people of Telangana, asserting that the BRS will continue to expose the government’s failures every single day.
Earlier in the day, a large number of BRS followers gathered at Telangana Bhavan and near the Jubilee Hills police station. Tension rose as police personnel attempted to lock the Telangana Bhavan gates, a move resisted by party leaders. Women leaders also staged a dharna near the party office to protest the SIT proceedings.