TDP suspects Cong. involvement in Guntur violence

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JUNE 28. The Telugu Desam aimed a cautious and oblique shot at the Congress, suspecting its involvement in the violent aftermath of the Guntur bomb blast.

The ruling party chose to put two and two together on the basis of the utterances of the APCC president, Mr. M. Satyanarayana Rao, and the CLP leader, Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, apart from the assessment of minority leaders given to the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, at Guntur.

At a press meet at the NTR Bhavan here on Wednesday, the Minister for Excise, Mr. Thummala Nageswara Rao, the Minister for School Education, Mr. K. Srihari, and the Minister for Energy, Mr. Kothapally Subbarayudu, said while the real truth would come out only after the enquiry, the Congress track record in communal issues and the ``provocative'' statements of its leaders led one to entertain such doubts.

They said Mr. Satyanarayana Rao had predicted that the TD Government would fold up in one year while Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy called upon urged people to make ``every wada (locality) a Bezawada'' (which witnessed lathi-charge on anti-tariff hike agitators). 'What does this show? Are not the intentions clear that they want to create anarchy and come to power through undemocratic methods?'' they asked.

The TDP leaders said neither the Chief Minister nor any other leader had blamed the Congress for the violent reaction in Guntur; they had only referred to the views of the local minority leaders that political elements took over after the bomb blast and created a reign of terror.

Nothing could be more ridiculous than the criticism that the Telugu Desam instigated the Guntur blast to divert attention from the power tariff hike. The TD's secular credentials were never in doubt. In contrast, a deposed Chief Minister belonging to the Congress had openly said that his opponents within the party incited communal riots in Hyderabad to dislodge him.

There was no need for a CBI probe into attack on places of worship in Guntur and other places. The State Government had already initiated enquiry and would take stern action against the guilty. ``Hundreds of people lost their lives in communal riots in Hyderabad when they were in power. Did they refer it to the CBI?''

The Ministers said the Congress demand for a CBI probe was inconsistent with its stand that the Sangh Parivar was behind the attacks. ``They say Bajrang Dal and RSS are behind the attacks. They also know that the BJP is in power at the Centre. If that is the case, why do they insist on CBI?'' they asked.

Mr. Srihari and colleagues appealed to the Congress and the Left parties to desist from provoking people to violence and to help the Government in maintaining peace and harmony among the people of all faiths.

Mrs. Vanga Geetha, MP, and Mr. V. Tulasiram, vice-presidents, also attended.

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Section  : Southern States
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