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A war of words ensued between Union Minister Bandi Sanjay and BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) over allegations of phone-tapping. On Friday, August 8, Bandi Sanjay who appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged illegal surveillance under the previous BRS government, stated that he has no faith in the Congress-led state government and demanded a CBI inquiry .
“I am appearing before them as a responsible citizen. I have no faith in the SIT investigation. Even with evidence, not a single member of KCR’s family has been arrested. That’s proof enough. I will speak about the remaining matters after the SIT inquiry,” he said.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs, claimed he was the “most phone-tapped” leader in Telangana during the BRS government.
“Will anyone tap the phones of his own daughter and son-in-law? KCR and KTR had no work except using the information from phone-tapping and amassing thousands of crores. They had collected money from politicians on the eve of elections, and also from businessmen. This is only what they have achieved in Telangana,” Sanjay alleged.
He alleged that except for KCR, his son KTR and nephew and former Rajya Sabha member Joginapalli Santosh Kumar, everybody else was under surveillance.
KTR condemned his allegations and dared him to prove them. The BRS working president said that he would be serving a legal notice if the BJP MP does not retract his statements and issue a public apology within the next 48 hours.
Lambasting the BJP MP, KTR wrote, “Despite being MOS of Home, Bandi Sanjay neither has understanding of how intelligence works, nor has any basic common sense. His reckless statements have crossed a line. To insinuate such cheap allegations and make third rated statements has to be a new low, even for him.”
He said Bandi Sanjay in his desperation for political relevance has resorted to “cheap drama on the streets.”
“If only working as a responsible minister was as easy as carrying the chappal of Delhi Bosses….,” KTR said.
In response, referring to KTR as ‘Twitter Tillu’, Bandi Sanjay said that KTR should be ashamed to talk about legal notices “after doing all the illegal things.”
“You’re a coward who hides behind legal notices. You unsuccessfully tried to do it in the past. I won’t fall for your monkey tricks. Bring it on. Ahead of Rakhi, you’re running away to avoid facing your own sister - whose phone was tapped, something she herself agreed,” he alleged.
He further wrote that he will expose his dark secrets soon.
“Let alone giving me 48 hours - your clock is ticking and your dark secrets will be exposed, leaving you with nowhere to hide.”
Responding to the chappal remarks, he quipped: “If only defending your illegal activities was as easy as begging BJP leaders for a party merger or seeking blessings from the PM to become CM…”