HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Tuesday alleged that BRS leader and former minister T Harish Rao had performed occult rituals (kshudra poojas) seeking political gains and hoping for drought and hardship in Telangana.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, Mahesh claimed Harish Rao visited temples associated with occult practices in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, and Shivamogga, Karnataka, and challenged him to disclose his whereabouts on March 2, May 31, June 1 and July 23.
The state Congress president questioned why Harish Rao had not spoken to the media or shared photographs after his alleged visit to the Aghori temple in Shivamogga, while regularly interacting with journalists after visiting temples such as Tirumala.
Mahesh alleged that the rituals were intended to bring poor rainfall, crop failures and hardship to farmers. “People usually pray for society’s welfare, but Harish Rao performed rituals wishing for the destruction of the people,” he alleged, comparing the BRS leader’s alleged actions to the character Pasupathi in the Telugu film Arundhati.
He further claimed that Aghori and tantric practices had existed in the BRS since its inception and said Harish Rao’s alleged conduct had lent credibility to earlier reports about similar rituals allegedly performed by BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Mahesh also questioned Harish Rao about rituals allegedly performed during his visit to Yadadri temple and alleged that legal notices issued to Sama Ram Mohan and MLC Addanki Dayakar were attempts to silence critics.
He said the Congress leaders will not be intimidated by such notices.
Responding to criticism over Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s “criminal waste” remark, Mahesh said the controversy stemmed from a slip of the tongue. He also said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reads letters sent to him irrespective of the sender.
CONGRESS, BRSV FILE COMPLAINTS, COUNTERS
TPCC General Secretary Chanagani Dayakar has lodged a complaint against BRS leader and former minister T Harish Rao with the Osmania University police for allegedly performing occult rituals, seeking political gains and hoping for drought in Telangana.
Later speaking to the media, Dayakar demanded that Harish Rao apologise to the people of Telangana. “On March 2, Harish Rao performed occult rituals at Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu. He performed similar rituals at Shivamogga in Karnataka on May 31 and June 1, and again at Shivamogga on July 23,” he claimed.
The Congress leader said that he has provided all the details of Harish Rao’s visits to these temples to police, requesting them to register a case and launch an investigation.
Meanwhile, several BRSV members also lodged a complaint with the Osmania University police, alleging that some Congress leaders levelled false allegations against Harish Rao and requested the police to take action against them. However, the police have not registered any cases.