Hyderabad, March 29 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Sunday demanded the immediate dismissal of Telangana Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy over allegations of corruption and illegal mining.
BRS MLAs staged a protest at Gun Park near the Assembly building and later raised the issue in the House, demanding an inquiry into illegal mining either by the House Committee or by a sitting judge of the High Court.
BRS Deputy Leader in Assembly T. Harish Rao and party working president K.T. Rama Rao, along with other MLAs stages protest at Gun Park. Carrying placards, they demanded that the House Committee probe the allegations against Raghava Construction, a company linked to the revenue minister.
BRS MLAs also wrote a letter to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, seeking a probe by the House Committee or a sitting judge.
Talking to media persons, Rama Rao warned that if the government fails to act, the party will approach the Governor with a formal complaint and, if necessary, take the issue directly to the people on a large scale.
KTR levelled serious allegations against the minister, stating that the government has been shaken following the revelations made by Harish Rao.
He said that Harish Rao had exposed, with documentary evidence sourced from the government itself, a major scam involving a senior minister ranked No.2 in the state government. The company linked to the minister’s family was found to have violated rules and engaged in illegal mining activities.
KTR questioned why the government has taken strict legal action against other companies involved in illegal mining, but failed to act against Raghava Constructions. He raised doubts whether the inaction is due to the company’s connection to the minister or due to the Chief Minister’s own involvement.
He pointed out that after the exposure by Harish Rao, the Chief Minister admitted that irregularities had indeed taken place. However, instead of taking responsibility, he attempted to counterattack by claiming that the government itself had revealed the issue. KTR criticised the Chief Minister’s claim that the company belonged to “distant relatives” of Minister Ponguleti, calling it absurd.
KTR stated that the minister’s wife, son, and brother are directly linked to the company and that the minister himself served as its chairman between 2020 and 2022. He accused the Chief Minister of making contradictory and misleading statements, reflecting a lack of credibility.
He further alleged that the Chief Minister’s strong defence of Raghava Constructions indicates his own involvement in the matter. He cited the allocation of contracts under the Kodangal Lift Irrigation Project to the same company and raised concerns over large-scale land irregularities in the state involving the Chief Minister and his associates.
KTR criticised the government for failing to deliver any meaningful work for the people over the past two and a half years, instead focusing on cases, commissions, and vendetta politics.
Questioning the government’s inaction, he asked why no action has been taken against the minister’s family company despite clear evidence. He pointed out that under the law, a second notice in such cases can lead to imprisonment of up to one year, yet the government continues to protect the accused.
He also criticised the Mining Minister for downplaying the issue as a mere Rs 4 lakh matter, stating that officials had detected violations worth Rs 32 lakh in a single day during inspections. He said this clearly indicates a much larger scam involving public resources over a prolonged period.
KTR alleged that another company, Bhagyalakshmi Mining in Kokapet, is linked to a close relative of the Chief Minister. He questioned the discrepancy in mining revenues, stating that while the government claims increased revenue, only about Rs 900 crore is being realised instead of the expected Rs 1,700-1,800 crore, raising serious concerns about diversion of funds.
The BRS demanded the constitution of a House Committee to investigate the roles of the minister, the Chief Minister, and others involved. He recalled that in the past, similar allegations, such as the Obulapuram mining case, were probed through a House Committee, ensuring transparency.
–IANS
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