VIJAYAWADA: Lashing out at YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, TDP senior leader and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Payyavula Keshav claimed, the Chief Minister raised the issue of Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) project to divert people’s attention from the YSRC’s debacle in the MLC elections from three Graduates’ constituencies and to cover up their inefficiency.
Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters in Mangalagiri on Monday, the Uravakonda MLA wondered what the YSRC government was doing for the past four years except for buying time in the name of an investigation into the project.
He further sought to know how Jagan was speaking on the matter even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has not submitted any report on its investigation.
“It is really surprising that a leader like Jagan is speaking about shell companies and corruption. In fact, he is the corruption king who introduced words like quid pro quo and money laundering,” Keshav said and exclaimed how Jagan could find fault with TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu.
Pointing out that the ED was already investigating the APSSDC case, the legislator sought to know why Jagan ordered an inquiry by the Crime Investigation Department (CID).
“If the matter is under investigation, does discussing it on the floor of the House not amount to influencing the investigating agencies,” Kesav asked and added that if there were any discrepancies in the project, the ED will report about it.
He further stated that the CM gave “a two-hour lecture” on the skill development project instead of addressing people’s problems, including the incessant rains that lashed the State, damaging standing crops. “This clearly indicates that Jagan wants to sling mud on Naidu and other TDP leaders,” he alleged.
Stating that the TDP government wanted to make agriculture-based Andhra Pradesh into an information technology hub and create jobs for youth after bifurcation, Keshav said, “In view of radical changes in the IT industry across the globe, Siemens was invited to the State when the heads of the company stated that they had set up skill development centres across the country, including Gujarat.”
Elaborating, he said Naidu, the then chief minister, even deputed some IAS officers to Gujarat to study the ongoing skill development centres and a tripartite agreement was signed between Siemens, Design Tech and the then State government.
“Besides AP, States like Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, too, entered into an agreement with Siemens,” he added.
He further questioned the State government for not revealing details of the CBI probe in the APSSDC issue, ACB report and other details gathered by the government. “How long will such baseless charges be levelled against the TDP? Should the TDP government have released funds without Siemens developing the software, providing the necessary infrastructure for the Skill Development Centres as part of the project?” he asked.