Asserts that TDP chief played a central role in skill development scam
PNS|Nidadavolu
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy reaffirmed that TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu has played a central role in the Rs 371 crore skill development scam and asserted that no one is above the law.
Addressing a public gathering here on Saturday, the Chief Minister said that Naidu, who had built his entire political career by exploiting the people, was caught red-handed in the scandal.
Expressing strong objections to the pro-TDP media’s unquestioning support for Naidu, the Chief Minister issued a stern warning that the law applies to all without exception.
He also criticised the “gang of four,” who have a stake in the ill-gotten gains, for being unable to accept Naidu’s arrest and attempting to portray him as a clean politician through malicious and false propaganda.
“Regardless of one’s actions, such as backstabbing, deceiving the public, and misappropriating public funds, the law applies equally to all, including Naidu,” he remarked, adding that this might not have been made clear to him in all his years.
Naidu managed to escape in the audio tape scandal surrounding the MLC elections in Telangana, he pointed out.
Rather than questioning Naidu about the whereabouts of the Rs 371 crore, the TDP’s friendly media has been providing support, as they were also complicit in the scam.
Based on evidence, official documents, and preliminary investigations conducted by central agencies like the ED, it has been established that Naidu played a central role in the scam.
The Chief Minister revealed that even Siemens, the company in question, confirmed that it had no involvement in the fraudulent agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and did not receive any funds from the government.
Despite objections from officials, Naidu disbursed the funds to shell companies and distributed them among his associates.
Over the years, Naidu’s sympathetic media outlets attempted to shield him from his crimes, while he tried to manipulate institutions, but those days are over, the Chief Minister declared.
Taking a swipe at Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, he commented that his visit to jail had transformed from a mere meeting to a compromise.
Describing the upcoming elections as a ‘Kurukshetra’, he asserted that justice would prevail and urged the people to support the YSRCP if they believed they had received welfare benefits.
