The Hindu : Front Page : Congress mounts attack on Paul

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 10, 2007
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Congress mounts attack on Paul

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Congress rank and file on Saturday launched a concerted attack on global evangelist K.A. Paul for his allegations against Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and AICC president Sonia Gandhi even as the Government started a probe into the "possible irregularities" he has committed in the past.

In the State capital, party workers turned violent and attacked Dr. Paul's office on Dharam Karam road after reaching there in a procession.

They pelted stones at the office building, broke windowpanes, barged inside and damaged furniture. Punjagutta police rushed to the spot and arrested 19 Youth Congress activists and registered criminal cases against them. Party activists staged dharnas and demonstrations in different parts of the State and burnt the effigies of Mr. Paul. Tense moments were witnessed at Visakhapatnam airport where Mr. Paul arrived this morning as irate Congress members gathered in large numbers to stage a demonstration.

Though Mr. Paul managed to get out of the airport unnoticed, Congress activists laid siege to his relative's house later where he was staying.

Unexpected support

Even as TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu demanded an inquiry into the allegations, the Chief Minister received support from an unexpected corner when former BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu said there was nothing wrong in the political parties asking donations for election expenditure.

The CLP and the PCC said Mr. Paul appeared to have "gone mad" and wanted the Government to order a probe to bring out how Mr. Paul amassed huge properties. Meanwhile, the Revenue officials started inquiries into the land acquisition for Mr. Paul's Gospel for Unreached Millions city also known as Charity city. While the local tahsildar said its promoters had purchased assignment land, the Joint Collector asked the officials to go into their claims of owning about 1,000 acres when records showed only 669 acres was in their control.

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