Excise minister Mopidevi Venkataramana’s arrest has kicked up a caste row. Interestingly, leaders belonging to rival political parties — Congress and Telugu Desam — accused the government of targeting Backward Castes, ignoring the upper castes in corruption cases. Mr Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, who was elected as MLA from Repalle in Guntur district, belongs to the backward Agnikula Kshatriya community.
“A BC leader has been sacrificed by one who looted the state and is roaming around freely. Both Congress and YSR Congress has made Mr Venkata Ramana a sacrificial goat,” said Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, senior politburo member of Telugu Desam. Mr Venkata Ramana, the then minister for ports, was arrested by the CBI in connection with irregularities in the Vanpic deal pertaining to construction of two ports in Guntur and Prakasam districts and an industrial corridor between both the districts, with the help of the state of Ras-Al-Khaimah, an emirate of the UAE.
Mr Ramakrishnudu and another party leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu, accused the government of bias towards BCs. A BC minister has been targeted again, they alleged. “Why doesn’t government first arrest YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is accused No.1 in corruption case?” Mr Ramakrishnudu asked. Minister for secondary education K. Parthasarathy too raised the bogey of targeting BCs. Expressing anguish over the arrest of his colleague, he said, “ It’s sad that a BC minister has been arrested. While someone else has benefitted, he is paying the price. Truth will be out soon.”
“Why BC minister first, why not OC Minister?” asked TD MLA Muddu Krishnama Naidu. “Everyone found guilty in corruption case should be brought to book. Unfortunately, the Government is leaving OCs and targeting BCs even in corruption cases,” he complained.