BJP stands vindicated, says Bandi Sanjay on CBI probe into Kaleshwaram

Hyderabad, Sep 1 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar has said the BJP stands vindicated after the Congress government in Telangana decided to hand over the probe into the Kaleshwaram project to the CBI.

He alleged that Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is solely responsible for the massive corruption in Kaleshwaram.

“From the very beginning we demanded a CBI probe, but Congress shielded BRS and delayed action. Today the govt has bowed to truth and agreed to hand over the case to CBI. We demand the letter be sent immediately-as in the past, Congress announced an SIT on ORR toll tenders in the Assembly but never appointed it,” Bandi Sanjay posted on ‘X’.

“Meanwhile, the phone-tapping issue continues to unfold like a never-ending daily serial,” added the BJP leader.

Bandi Sanjay has long been demanding that the Congress government hand over the phone-tapping case to the CBI.

The Minister of State, who appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the phone-tapping case last month, had stated that SIT has no powers to conduct the investigation and demanded a CBI probe to bring out the truth.

On many occasions, top BJP leaders had termed Kaleshwaram an ATM for then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).

The Congress government on Monday announced its decision to hand over the case relating to alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram irrigation project constructed during the BRS rule to the CBI.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy made the announcement in the state Assembly in the early hours of the day after a marathon debate on the report of the PC Ghose Commission, which probed the alleged irregularities in the project.

The Commission’s report was tabled in the Assembly on Sunday, and after nearly 10 hours of debate, the Chief Minister announced the CBI probe. It held KCR directly and vicariously accountable for the irregularities and the illegalities in planning, construction, completion, operation and maintenance of three barrages.

The debate was marred by angry exchanges between members of the ruling Congress and the main opposition BRS.

BRS members tore the copies of the report to register their protest over the denial of sufficient time during debate. The main opposition party later staged a walkout from the House.

--IANS

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