Hyderabad, November 13: The Brahmani Steels proprietor and Karnataka Tourism Minister, Mr. Gali Janardhan Reddy, today asserted that there were no irregularities in the Obulapuram Mining and launched a scathing attack on the Telugu Desam President, Mr. Nara Chandrababu Naidu for indulging in ‘ mean (neecha) politics and false propaganda’ of illegal mining against Obulapuram Mining Corporation (OMC).
An industrial magnate owning OMC and a close confidante of late YSR, the Karnataka Minister used choicest epithets against Mr. Chandrababu Naidu and described him as an ‘uncouth politician’, surviving by fooling the people with ‘dirty politics’ and ‘cheap gimmicks’. He vowed not to rest till the TDP chief and the two newspaper barons (Mr. Ramoji Rao of Eenadu and Mr. Radhakrishna of Andhra Jyothi ) were ‘sent to jail’. Already defamation cases were filed against them and other legal steps were being initiated to send them behind bars, he declared visibly seething with contempt.
Incidentally while the OMC mining magnate was spewing venom against Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, the TDP president and other Opposition leaders at an all-party meeting were hunting for the scalp of Mr. Janardhan Reddy. They demanded that the State Government should entrust the affairs of the OMC to CBI or order a judicial inquiry.
Stating that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was taking advantage of the tragic demise of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to indulge in mud-slinging against him, Mr. Janardhan Reddy ridiculed the TDP president for describing Mr. Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as “AP’s Madhu Koda”. “ As a matter of fact, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu is equal to one lakh Madhu Kodas”, he quipped and asked how did he ( TDP chief) amass so much of wealth from a mere two-acre land he possessed before becoming the Chief Minister.
The Karnataka Minister explained that the late Chief Minister YSR had already set up an all-party committee, an experts’ committee etc, that gave a clean chit to OMC, except the TDP deputy leader, Mr. Nagam Janardhanh Reddy, whom he described as an “Hippo”. Pointing out that under the RTI Act anyone could secure all relevant information regarding OMC and its operations, he said he was prepared to allow the National or State media for any inspection of the mines and investigation into the mining operations
THROWS A CHALLENGE TO NAIDU
The mining industrialist further stated that all the relevant information about the alleged illegal manner in which Mr. Chandrababu Naidu had amassed his wealth were with him and that he had already initiated necessary legal steps to “crucify” him. He quipped that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu’s drama to come back to power would be a distant dream and it was like chasing a mirage. He also said that Mr Chandrababu would never become Chief Minister again, and added that if necessary, he (Mr Reddy) would undertake a state-wide campaign against Mr Naidu.
Mr. Janardhan Reddy further alleged that the TDP president had ruined the dairy industry in Andhra Pradesh for the sake of Heritage milk owned by the latter’s family. He also accused the former Chief Minister of leasing out 392 acres of manganese ore lands for Rs.40,000 per hour lease and ‘minted crores of rupees’. He challenged Mr. Chandrababu Naidu to prove his allegations about illegal mining operations by OMC or otherwise quit politics for ever and publicly apologize for the false propaganda. “If the allegations against me are proved, I will publicly apologize and am prepared for any punishment”, he declared. (NSS).