Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Congress activists pick up wordy duel with Paul

Staff Reporter

High drama at house of evangelist's brother in Visakhapatnam

IN THE EYE OF A STORM: Evangelist K.A. Paul (second from left) arguing with Congress leaders Koyya Prasad Reddy and Satish Varma in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. -Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam.

VISAKHAPATNAM: The house of global evangelist K.A. Paul's brother David Raju in the city turned into a venue for high drama with angry exchange of words between the former and a group of Congress activists on Saturday.

After raising slogans against Dr. Paul in front of the house in Muralinagar for his allegation that Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had sought Rs.20 crore from him for party expenses in last Assembly polls, Koyya Prasada Reddy and Satish Varma and other activists squatted in front of the house for sometime. Earlier, an effigy of Dr. Paul was burnt at Asilametta junction after a handful of Congress workers staged a rasta roko.

Altercation

On the intervention of ACP (North) Y. Prembabu, Dr. Paul was contacted and convinced to allow a few Congress members for a chat. Soon Mr. Reddy, former chairman of Andhra Pradesh Technology Services and Mr. Varma had an altercation. They also shouted at Dr. Paul for dragging the name of Congress president Sonia Gandhi into the controversy and termed him as a "Telugu Desam Party puppet".

Mr. Prasada Reddy later told reporters that Dr. Paul had also faced allegations of sexual harassment of minor girls and misuse of funds and questioned him as to why he was making baseless allegations.

Dr. Paul denied having made any concocted and false allegations against Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy and others and mentioned how the State Government was trying to take vendetta against him. Mr. Prasada Reddy wondered how it could be termed as an attack when they protested in the presence of the policemen and media persons.

Damage suit

Justifying the protests, Minister for Housing Botcha Satyanarayana said that the allegations were part of a conspiracy.

He said Dr. Paul had no reason, whatsoever, to try to tarnish the image of the Chief Minister, Ms. Sonia Gandhi and others.

At a separate press conference, he said as per law he would file a damage suit against Dr. Paul for making sweeping allegations.

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