Congress Backed Out of Debate Because It Cannot Defend Corruption in Gurukul Tenders: Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Former Minister and BRS Deputy Floor Leader T. Harish Rao strongly criticised the Congress government, alleging that it had backed out of the public debate it had itself proposed on the issues of State debt and alleged irregularities in Gurukul tenders.

Addressing a press conference, Harish Rao said the government had issued repeated public challenges but failed to appear for the debate. He said BRS leaders, including himself and K.T. Rama Rao, were present at Telangana Bhavan, but Congress leaders failed to honour their own challenge.

He said Minister Jupally Krishna Rao initially alleged that the previous BRS government had burdened Telangana with ₹8 lakh crore of debt but later reduced the figure to ₹7 lakh crore, questioning the credibility of the government’s allegations.

Harish Rao said the Congress government prevented the debate by deploying the police and obstructing BRS leaders from reaching the designated venue. He alleged that the government’s actions demonstrated its unwillingness to defend its claims in public.

Referring to the alleged irregularities in Gurukul tenders, Harish Rao said he, along with BRS leaders R.S. Praveen Kumar and Koppula Eshwar, had presented documentary evidence regarding alleged irregularities in the procurement process. He alleged that the government’s refusal to participate in the debate had effectively exposed the irregularities.

He further alleged that tenders for groceries, uniforms, footwear, notebooks and other supplies meant for Gurukul institutions had been manipulated, resulting in substantial financial loss to the State. He claimed that inflated procurement costs in items such as edible oils, spices and other essential supplies had caused significant loss to the exchequer.

Harish Rao said the previous BRS government had introduced policies to protect the livelihood of Telangana’s handloom workers by ensuring that uniform orders for police, schools and Gurukul institutions were routed through designated State agencies. He alleged that the Congress government ignored these policies and awarded contracts to large private contractors.

He stated that the Telangana High Court had repeatedly directed the government to protect the interests of handloom workers and implement the existing government orders. Despite these directions, he alleged, the government failed to comply, forcing handloom societies to approach the High Court once again.

Harish Rao also alleged that procurement orders meant for LIDCAP, which benefits Dalit entrepreneurs, had been diverted in violation of existing government policy. He questioned how the government could deny irregularities when LIDCAP itself had formally represented that it had received such orders during the previous BRS government.

He further alleged that irregularities in notebook procurement were exposed after BRS questioned the introduction of a watermark condition, following which the tenders were cancelled. He claimed that this delay had affected the timely supply of notebooks to school students.

Harish Rao criticised the transfer of the wife of BRS leader R.S. Praveen Kumar, alleging that it was a retaliatory action taken because he had questioned the government over the Gurukul tenders. He also alleged that the security provided to R.S. Praveen Kumar had been reduced for political reasons.

Concluding the press conference, Harish Rao said the BRS would continue its fight to protect the interests of nearly six lakh students studying in Gurukul institutions, as well as the livelihoods of SC, ST and handloom communities, and would continue exposing what it described as corruption and irregularities in government procurement.