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Wednesday, Feb 14, 2007
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YSR's remark sparks off furore

Special Correspondent

Naidu alleges role for Dr. Reddy's kin in sale of Kadapa DSC posts

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy withdrew within a few minutes a "harsh remark" he hurled at the Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu and some newspapers in the Assembly on Tuesday but not before Telugu Desam members stormed the podium three times.

The furore was touched off during the debate on the Governor's address when Mr. Naidu referred to press reports alleging that Dr. Reddy's brother and other relatives were involved in the scandal relating to the sale of teacher posts in District Selection Committee (DSC-2006) in Kadapa. The Chief Minister rebutted the charge saying "you can't speak as you wish. Were you, as Chief Minister previously, responsible for whatever had happened in Chittoor (Mr. Naidu's native district)?"

Unrelenting, Mr. Naidu shot back saying "there were allegations against your own brother". A visibly incensed Dr. Reddy said: "By your conscience, you know what my brother is." At this stage, the Chief Minister made certain remarks against the newspapers and Mr. Naidu leading to an uproar in the TDP benches. Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy said he would expunge remarks that were found objectionable.

Not satisfied by the response, Telugu Desam members staged a sit-in on the steps leading to the podium shouting full-throated slogans which were countered by members from the Treasury benches. Order was restored when the Chief Minister said he had used a harsh word in a fit of anger, and said he was withdrawing it. He said some newspapers were wantonly carrying out a campaign against his family members.

He offered to order an inquiry even if a shred of evidence was found against his family members. In fact, he had ordered a probe when the irregularities were first brought to his notice by ZPTC member in Kadapa district Mohan Reddy. Some officials were suspended and cash was recovered.

He regretted that instead of complimenting him, Mr Naidu was trying to hurl baseless allegations.

Mr. Naidu said he had raised the issue as the irregularity was established with the suspension of officials and seizure of cash. If the Chief Minister's brother was so clean, how did he occupy Gurkul Trust land near Hyderabad. When N. Kiran Kumar Reddy (Congress) tried to counter this, Mr. Naidu said: "You too encroached Government land at Jubilee Hills and secured two sites as MLA."

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