HYDERABAD: TRS working president KT Rama Rao told leaders of Opposition parties that he would file defamation cases against them, if they level ‘baseless allegations’ with regard to the Intermediate examination goof-up. Addressing May Day celebrations at Telangana Bhavan on Wednesday, Rama Rao said that when the tender was allotted to Globarena Technologies by the Intermediate Board, he was not the IT Minister.
“But, Opposition parties are dragging me into this controversy. The value of work allotted to Globarena was `4.3 crore. But, they allege that it is a `10,000 crore scam,” he said.Rama Rao said that in issue was a ‘sensitive’ one and asked leaders to restrain themselves while speaking on it. “If the Opposition wants to demand answers from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao about something, there are so many issues they can go with,” he said.
The TRS working president said the Opposition had nothing else to talk about. “They are keeping this issue alive like ‘Ravana Kashtam’ for political gains,” he said.Rama Rao appealed to students and parents to remain calm and patient. “Please wait till the re-verification and re-counting of papers is complete. The matter is also going to be heard by the High Court. If the court finds anyone at fault, I will be first person to demand the State government to take action against them,” he said.
Rama Rao also replied to senior Congress V Hanumantha Rao, who had earlier asked him to swear by the Pedddama goddess (from the famous Jubilee Hills temple) that he had no connections with the CEO of Globarena.
“Making false allegations against someone is not correct. One bufoon (Hanumanth Rao) asked me to come to Peddamma Temple to take an oath with regards to the Intermediate exam issue. Do I really need to go just because he has asked me to?” he asked.
Later in the day, Hanumanth Rao reacted to Rama Rao calling him a buffoon. “Only time will decide who is the buffoon,” he said. The former Rajya Sabha MP also recalled it was Congress that gave Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao his first break in political life. “Had it not been for Congress, he would not have been CM today,” he said.
‘Workers’ welfare’
Speaking at the event, Rama Rao said Chandrasekhar Rao was partisan towards workers and labourers. “He increased the wages being given to labourers and hiked those of Anganwadi workers twice,” he said. He added that the wages of Home Guards, GHMC sweepers and contract workers had also been increased as well.
Govt, Oppn continue battle over fiasco
The government and Opposition parties, including BJP, Congress, Telangana Jana Samithi and CPI, continued to battle over the Intermediate result goof-up. For the past few days, they have been asking for Education Minister Jagadish Reddy to be sacked and for action to be taken against Globarena, the private firm hired by the Inter Board to process the results. As many as 21 students have allegedly committed suicide since the results were announced