Vijaywada: The Telugu Desam has been crying hoarse over the income-tax raids on the properties belonging to TD Rajya Sabha member, Mr C.M. Ramesh. The Kadapa-based TD leader is a member of the close ring around Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Mr Ramesh is seen as one of the key financial pillars of TD and the CM. Soon after I-T sleuths started raids on Mr Ramesh's properties, I-T Minister Nara Lokesh tweeted saying that the BJP-led Centre had launched intimidation politics and these I-T raids are part of Operation Garuda.
“The Centre has begun intimidation politics with I-T raids on party leaders Mastan Rao garu, Sujana garu and now Ramesh garu. TD leaders are being unduly targeted for raising their voice against the Centre for breaking every promise made during bifurcation. We will not be cowed down by this! It will only make our resolve stronger!! (sic)” Mr Lokesh tweeted.
TD Rajya Sabha member Kanakamedala Ravindra Babu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been attacking opposition parties and creating panic among the public. He said Mr Modi had hatched a plan to eliminate opposition parties from the country.
Mr Ravindra Babu said the I-T raids on Mr Beeda Mastan Rao, TD MLA Pothula Rama Rao and Mr Ramesh were nothing but vendetta politics. Mr Babu reminded that in Parliament Mr Modi and BJP leaders had warned the TD leaders of dire consequences and that was turning out to
be true now with these raids.
“Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre is busy with its operations of vendetta politics against opponents by using Central agencies like the the I-T department. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the I-T department and other institutions are being used as weapons to target political opponents who raised their voice against the undemocratic and unconstitutional acts of the BJP,” said TD spokesperson Lanka Dinakar.
He added that BJP and YSRC together were making conspiracy politics against Andhra Pradesh and Telugu Desam leaders to restrain them from fighting against the Union Government on unfulfilled AP Reorganisation assurances including Special Category Status for the state.
