During a press meet on Monday Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh had charged a number of allegations on the NDA’s Vice-Presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu.
He accused that undue favors were given to the Swarna Bharat Trust of Naidu’s daughter by exempting the trust from paying various charges amounting to more than Rs 2 crore to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. He also Charged that in 2014 the Telangana government had passed an order of Rs 271 crore for purchase of vehicles for police from companies owned by Naidu’s son and another by the son of Telangana Chief Minister without floating a tender for the order.
Responding to these allegations made by Jairam, son of Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao and Telangana minister, K T Rama Rao on Wednesday asked the opposition party to provide evidence to back its claims or to take back its remarks. Rejecting charges of showing undue favours, he said that “it is quite common for NGOs, religious trusts, educational institutions, hospitals and private institutions to get property tax exemption. It was practiced during the Congress rule also. There is nothing extraordinary in giving exemption to the Swarna Bharat Trust.”
He even cleared the charges of purchasing vehicles saying that The Telangana government did not place orders directly to the dealers for purchasing vehicles. The orders were placed with the company after following the due process. The rates of the vehicles were finalised as per the guidelines set by the Centre.
Rama angrily stated that “Mr. Jairam Ramesh, if you have any common sense, provide proof and then talk or else withdraw your remarks. Do not resort to mudslinging.”