D L On Opposing Cabinet On Dharmana Issue

Medical and Health Minister D L Ravindra Reddy on Wednesday justified his actions in opposing the State Cabinet's decision of not allowing the CBI to prosecute Roads and Buildings Minister B Dharmana Prasad Rao.

Talking to media persons at his chambers in the State Secretariat here, Ravindra Reddy said that during the meeting of the State Cabinet held on November 23, the issue of Dharmana Prasad was presented as a Table Note. Stating that the issues are placed before the Cabinet through Table Notes only during emergencies like a cyclone, he said that several ministers had not even noticed the crucial note.

Ravindra Reddy said that being the Chief Minister, N Kiran Kumar Reddy was authorised to take any decision, but he should not have brought up Dharmana's issue through Table Note. He said that by doing so, he had forced the entire cabinet to be a part of that decision. Stating that he was against neither the Chief Minister nor his cabinet colleagues, Ravindra Reddy said that he had not wanted to be a part of the decision.

The minister said that while one former minister is in jail (Mopidevi Venkataramana), the CBI has filed charge sheet against another minister (Dharmana Prasad) and the Supreme Court has served notices to four other ministers. It this situation, he said that the issue should be dealt with with more seriousness.

Ravindra Reddy said that there was no need to change the Chief Minister in the state. However, he said that there was a need to change the mindset. (INN)