The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Venkataswamy does a volte-face

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 16, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Venkataswamy does a volte-face

Special Correspondent

Veteran Congress leader says he never uttered a word against YSR

HYDERABAD: Veteran Congress leader G. Venkataswamy on Thursday did a complete volte-face by claiming that he had never made any allegation of corruption against former Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Clearly on the back foot over his allegations against YSR, Mr. Venkataswamy was ill at ease to clarify the remarks he made at a press conference. Asked if he still stood by his allegations against YSR that he had asked his sons to part with half of the eight acres of land in Banjara Hills, Mr. Venkataswamy said that he had never uttered a word against the former Chief Minister.

Deflects question

When reminded that he had pointed an accusing finger at YSR, he deflected the question saying that the media knew very well whom he was referring to. Despite persistent questioning he refused to name the person but maintained that neither YSR nor Chief Minister K. Rosaiah had asked his sons for the land.

He blamed the media for creating problems for him and wondered why the government was after his land. “For the last three decades, the government is fighting to resume the land, which I had purchased legally. I am unable to understand why the duly registered land is termed as grabbed land. I have won the Supreme Court case, but the government still wants to pursue the case and challenge the verdict in the apex court,” he said.

He dared all his detractors to prove a single charge of corruption or irregularity in his long political career. “I am willing to go to jail even if one charge is proved,” he noted.

Secret document

When it was pointed out that he had levelled serious charges of corruption against the YSR government in the report he submitted to the Justice Srikrishna Committee, he said it was a secret document. However, he immediately said “Did I give it to you? I should not have distributed it to you.”

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh