In a scathing attack on YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Home Minister N. Chinarajappa said on Friday that the Opposition leader should first talk about the cases pending against him, including the ₹43,000 crore scam, instead of trying to defame Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and other party leaders in the alleged land scandal in Visakhapatnam.
“It is his duty to first come clean, before naming others and falsely implicating them in an issue that is yet to be proved,” he said at a press conference here.
Mr. Chinarajappa pointed out that based on the allegations that had been made, the government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by an IPS officer with good track record.
“Both Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy and other opposition parties are demanding a CBI inquiry, which is not necessary at this moment. Let the SIT do its job. If the situation demands, we will approach the CBI too. Moreover, we are assuring that the SIT will give its report in two months. A CBI inquiry will take years,” he said.
Mudapaka issue
On BJP MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju’s allegation of land pooling scam in Mudapaka, he said: “No land pooling has taken place in Mudapaka. It is a false propaganda and I have asked Mr. Raju to show some concrete proof. I have promised him that the land in question will be restored if there is an iota of truth in it.”
He was also critical of the YSR Congress president casting aspersions on senior TDP leader and MLC M.V.V.S. Murthi and HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao in the land scam.
“Mr. Murthi is a noted educationist. He had acquired the land at Rushikonda for setting up GITAM University much before the TDP was formed and during the Congress regime. Moreover, his request for more land for expansion is pending with the Chief Minister. If the Chief Minister intends to support his party leaders, he would have cleared Mr. Murthi’s proposal,” Mr. Chinarajappa said.
Special Correspondent in Tirumala writes: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) was already probing the alleged land scandal in Visakhapatnam, Mr. Chinarajappa said.
Addressing the media here on Friday, Mr. Chinarajappa said the ruling TDP, in an exceptional manner, reacted to the allegations and ordered an inquiry after finding that land records pertaining to over 300 acres had been subjected to tampering. The government was prepared to inquire into any such land scandal in the State, provided there was enough proof, he said.
TTD Trust Board head
In reply to a question, he said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was keen on appointing an efficient person to head the TTD Trust Board.
Pilgrims had always been the priority for Mr. Naidu, who believes that a person who is apolitical alone can devote full time to the prestigious organisation, he said.
