Welcoming the arrest of Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao, Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday, said that no one was above the law.
Responding to the
minister's arrest by the CBI, in connection with the irregularities in the allotment of lands to VANPIC, Naidu said that the law must sternly punish ministers and MLAs who were involved in corruption.
Talking to media persons at his residence, he demanded that the government cancel all four GOs issued in connection with VANPIC and recover the 13,000 acres allotted for the VANPIC project.
Taking a dig at YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, Naidu said that several prominent leaders, including ministers and IAS officials, have been ending up as scapegoats because of one person's greed.
Describing Mopidevi's arrest as predicted, CPI state secretary K Narayana alleged that Mopidevi has violated all rules and regulations while allotting the 13,000 acres of land, and that he had caused great injustice to the fishermen's community in Krishna and Prakasam districts.
He predicted that the CBI would arrest the remaining ministers, who have received notices from the Supreme Court.
Narayana hailed the minister's arrest since so far, the probing agency questioned only IAS officials in connection with the corruption.
CPI (Marxist) state secretary B V Raghuvulu, too, hailed the minister's arrest. He demanded that the CBI arrest the rest of the ministers who have received notices from the Supreme Court for issuing 26 controversial GOs favouring Jagan. He also demanded that the government cancel the agreement with VANPIC and recover the lands.
TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu accused the Congress and the YSR Congress of making Mopidevi Venkataramana, a backward class minister, a scapegoat in the corruption. He asked why the CBI was not arresting former government advisor K V P Ramachandra Rao and Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy. He expressed concern over the corrupt being set scot-free in the cases.
Responding to the arrest of the excise minister, Nagarkurnool MLA from Nagam Janardhan Reddy demanded the dissolution of the state Assembly as, he said, the government was working under too much interference from the CBI. He said that the Election Commission must conduct elections afresh for the state Assembly, to restore democracy in the state.
YSR Congress BC cell convenor Gattu Ramachandra Rao suspected the hand of the Congress High Command behind Mopidevi's arrest. Expressing concern over the arrest, he opined that a minister from the backward class community has been made a scapegoat in the entire episode.
Ramchandra Rao suspected that the CBI might use Mopidevi as a pawn before Jagan's arrest. He alleged that the CBI has been mounting pressure on Mopidevi to get evidence against Jagan. (INN)