Letter to HC: No malice in heart against Jagan, says Shankar Rao

Clarifying that he had no malicious intent at heart when he wrote his now famous letter to the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Minister for Handlooms and Textiles P Shankar Rao on Thursday stated that he had penned his wonderment how former MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy could be minting crores of money.

Dr Shankar Rao said that he was keen to know if the Kadapa leader has any ‘magic wand’ or was the fact that he was the son of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy which enabled Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s businesses to grow by leaps and bounds.

Releasing the data of the advanced tax paid by the former MP before media persons at the Congress Legislature Party office on Thursday, Dr Shankar Rao pointed that Mr Jaganmohan Reddy paid Rs 15 lakh during 2004, followed by Rs 2 crore for 2009 and the staggering sum Rs 85 crore as advance tax for 2011. The Minister said that this had led him to wonder how the MP was able to grow his business at such a rapid pace where he was able to pay Rs 85 crore as advance tax.

Dr Shankar Rao stated that this wonderment had prompted him to write the letter to the High Court, since he suspected that the former Kadapa MP had resorted to taking undue advantage of his proximity to his father who was the chief minister during the period of Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s phenomenal increase of wealth.

The other important factor behind his writing the letter was “the clarion given by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, exhorting Congress workers to fight against corruption at all levels,” Dr Shankar Rao continued.

“There was no intention to malign the former MP and or the family of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy,” he clarified.

When asked why he did not write a letter on allegations of corruption made against Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, Dr Shankar Rao clarified, “I do not have information on the assets of Mr Naidu. That’s why I have not filed any petition against him.”

Reacting on serious charges of former minister Konda Surekha against Ms Sonia Gandhi, the Minister condemned her allegations and termed them as baseless and uncalled for.

He said the High Command would initiate serious disciplinary action against Ms Surekha for her remarks.

He said that Congress president would take a decision on Telangana state issue at appropriate time. “The party will not take Justice Srikrishna Commission report as parameter for forming the Telangana state,” he stated.