Twenty two ministers met Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy at his camp office here on Tuesday and reportedly urged him to save them from the onslaught of the CBI, for the decisions taken collectively by the previous Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy cabinet.
Eight ministers, including Dharmana Prasada Rao, Sabita Indra Reddy, Ponnala Lakshmaiah and Kanna Lakshmi Narayana met at the residence of Vatti Vasanta Kumar and discussed about the charges leveled against Dharmana Prasada Rao by the CBI in the Vanpic case. They concluded that the CBI had no authority to probe decisions of the cabinet. Vasanta Kumar said that under Article 163, decisions of a cabinet, which was the supreme policy-making body of an elected government, could not be questioned by any investigating agency.
They felt that if some one (Jagan) was benefited because of the decisions of the cabinet, the matter was between that person, the CBI and courts to decide. They also felt that simply because a minister signed on a file giving effect to a cabinet decision, he could not be squarely blamed for a collective decision.
DAMODAR, DL ABSTAIN
Following these conclusions, the ministers sought an appointment with the Chief Minister and met him on Tuesday morning in the camp office. Dharmana reportedly called all the ministers and asked them to be present at the meeting. In all, 22 ministers came to the camp office to represent their case. However, Deputy Chief Minister Damodara Rajanarasimha and Health Minister D L Ravindra Reddy were conspicuous by their absence. Both were in the city and received phone calls, said sources.
The ministers expressed their anguish that they were being termed as tainted ministers by the media and the Opposition. They also reportedly told the Chief Minister that because of his silence, wrong signals were reaching the people, eroding party’s image. Stating that it was improper for the investigating agency to make an individual responsible for cabinet decisions, they have requested Kiran Kumar Reddy to take corrective measures.
MEDIA GIVING JUDGMENTS: VASANTA
Earlier in the day, talking to a popular TV channel, Vatti Vasanta Kumar has assailed the media for sitting in judgment over different cases.
Vasanta has said that though only allegations were made, media was describing the ministers as criminals and even announcing the quantum of punishment they would get. He said the quid pro quo charge of the CBI was not tenable as the agency had not proved that any of the ministers had personally benefited because of the decisions taken by the cabinet. If some one else was benefited, he said, the ministers could not be blamed. (NSS)