Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao yesterday dismissed allegation of phone-tapping against his government saying his government has not indulged in any such things.
“The government of Telangana has not tapped anybody's phone. It is 1000 per cent abundantly clear. Yesterday, the DGP, who is inquiring into the whole case of bribery, has abundantly said that we did not tap anybody's phone. I am also doing the same thing now,” he told reporters here late tonight after a meeting of the state cabinet.
He was replying queries about the allegation of Andhra Pradesh government that the Telangana government tapped the phones of its officials, ministers and the Chief Minister in the common capital of Hyderabad.
“If the government of Telangana tapped 120 telephones of various officials and ministers and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, what the government of Andhra Pradesh was doing up to 31st (of May)? Have we tapped 120 phones from 31st May to June 10? Why you did not complain? June 2 is state formation day What the government of Andhra Pradesh was doing all through the year,” Rao said.
Replying to a query on video and audio tapes concerning the alleged cash-for-votes controversy being telecast on TV channels, he said, it was a matter of press freedom. “Tapes coming on TV that is the freedom of the press.
Source of the press. You can dream 1050 things. I cannot help.
You go and ask the media,” he said.
Asked for his comments on Naidu's Delhi trip, Rao said the AP Chief Minister has “touched the feet of this man and that man”.
“Is it new to him? He has touched the feet of this man and that man. Is it new to Chandrababu Naidu?” he said.
Asked if anyone from the Centre called him with regard tothe issue, he replied in the negative. “So far, no. No one has called me. I think no one will call me as far as this man is concerned.
I never think Narendra Modi will support such bribery case. I don't expect the government of India supporting this kind of a treachery, this kind of onslaught, this kind of a worst corruption ever before in the country,” he said.
“Government of India is also a constitutional government. Exactly like that, government of Telangana is also a constitutional government. Nobody can exceed their limits, whether it is Government of India or government of a state. Nobody should lose their senses while acting,” he said.
Talking about the allegations of TDP that his government encouraged defections, Rao said some MPs, who were elected on YSR Congress ticket in last year's general elections, sided with the TDP now in AP.
On the charge that his party fielded candidates excess of its strength, he highlighted the arithmetic concerning the election and alleged that it was TDP which fielded candidate without having adequate support.
“Why did he contest I am asking,” he said.
Rao claimed that Naidu's name figured in the alleged cash-for-vote issue as he spoke to some persons. “Yes, Chandrababu Naidu's name is figuring. Definitely it is figuring.
Where? Chandrababu Naidu spoke to various persons. Chandrababu Naidu's henchmen also spoke to various persons. It is now being retrieved by the enquiring agencies through the call data. The phones which have been already deposited with the court,” he said.
The ACB of Telangana started probing the matter after the nominated MLA complained after being approached by the TDP MLA Revanth Reddy, who has since been arrested. The law would take its own course in the issue, he said.
