Hyderabad: Former Minister and Siddipet MLA Harish Rao on Sunday tore into the Congress government in the Telangana Assembly, dismissing the PC Ghose Commission’s findings on the Kaleshwaram project as politically driven.
During the debate, Rao said the government’s decision to hold a special session on a Sunday and present the report exposed its “dirty politics.” He argued that the inquiry violated the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, since notices under Sections 8B and 8C were not issued. “That right is guaranteed by the Constitution. Indira Gandhi and L.K. Advani also went to court. If they could, why can’t we?” he asked.
Rao terms PC Ghose Commission report a ‘scrap of paper’
The BRS leader said the Chief Minister understood the legal flaws, which is why the state filed a caveat in the Supreme Court. “If a stay is granted, the report will collapse. People can clearly see through this conspiracy,” he remarked, calling the move political theatre staged around elections.
Furthermore, Rao accused the Congress of timing the reports to match electoral cycles: a preliminary report before the Assembly polls, an interim one before the Parliament elections, and a final version during the state’s silver jubilee. “Now, ahead of panchayat elections, you bring this report. Is this a government or a circus?” he asked.
Rao insisted that the Commission failed to uphold natural justice. “An inquiry must follow law and procedure. Otherwise, it is nothing but a scrap of paper. Courts have said this many times,” he reminded the House.
Finally, he stressed that anyone whose reputation was at stake must receive notice under Section 8B of the Inquiry Act to defend themselves. “The Act provides clear protections, yet the Commission ignored them,” he said, demanding that the government respect due process.