DL slams CM's 'double standards'

  How many times haven't we heard "All are equal before the law?" However, in practice the same isn't followed. A classic case is the state government's approach to deal with the case of Dharmana Prasada Rao and Mopidevi Venkataramana, which clearly mirrors double standards.

The Council of ministers on Friday passed a resolution to reject the CBI's plea to prosecute senior state Cabinet minister, Dharmana Prasada Rao in Vanpic case.
The state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, rejected the CBI request to sanction prosecution of Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao.
Minister for Information and Public Relations D.K. Aruna announced the decision at a media briefing on Friday evening.
The Cabinet meet, which was not attended by Dharmana Rao, deliberated on the issue. Health minister D.L. Ravindra Reddy, a known critic of the chief minister, reportedly found fault with the cabinet discussing the issue. He felt the chief minister should have taken a decision on his own.
DL Ravindra questioned the differential treatment accorded to Dharmana Rao and said that the government should also defend Mopidevi Venkataramana, a former minister who has been jailed in the same case.
The Cabinet meet which also deliberated on issues such as SC/ST sub plan, Assembly proceedings and other important issues saw heated debate over the Dharmana issue.

Why are you dragging us into the issue?

The CBI that had sought to conduct an enquiry into Dharmana's case. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy placed this issue before the Council of ministers seeking their approval to reject the CBI plea. While majority of the ministers replied in the affirmative, DL objected to the issue being raised in the Cabinet saying, "How can this be possible? You (CM) are the person who should be taking a call on this. What role do we have to play in this? Why are we being unnecessarily dragged into the issue?
He cited an example where the decision of Cabinet in Madhya Pradesh to reject the prosecution of a minister was challenged and won by the CBI in the Supreme Court. Knowing fully well about the consequences, how can the issue be placed before the Cabinet?" he asked. Addressing chief secretary, he questioned, "Are you not aware of the legalities?" This argument left the Chief Secretary speechless!
Jana Reddy who was a mute witness to the on goings till then tried to pacify DL with, "Leave the issue here. Isn't Dharmana one of us? You too back the resolution." Two other ministers were quick to back Jana Reddy, saying the CBI's plea must be rejected considering Dharmana hails from the backward class!

Angered by the suggestion, DL hit out saying, "Dharmana is my friend too. However, why adopt double standards while dealing with the same case involving two different people—Dharmana and Mopidevi? Why this partiality? After being mum while CBI questioned and arrested Mopidevi, why are you objecting to the CBI questioning another (Dharmana)? What kind of justice is this?"
He also said, "What will happen if  the governor is asked to review the Cabinet decision? Actually, this proposal should be removed from the Cabinet Agenda. What's the judiciary doing?"

Mopidevi too is from the backward class

To pacify DL, Jana Reddy tried to make light of the situation. However, DL continued to argue saying, "Not just Dharmana, Mopidevi too is from the backward class. His wife and children too are crying everyday. If the Cabinet is blind to Mopidevi's plight, but trying to make things easy for Dharmana...aren't we sending a wrong message to the public?"
To this, CM said in jest to the other ministers, "How does it matter if one person opposes the resolution, let's freeze on the decision. What say?"
Ministers Kondru Murli Mohan and Parathasarathy called on the Cabinet ministers to back CM's proposal. While transport minister Botsa Satyanarayana and deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha stayed mum on their stand, rest of the ministers argued that the PM's proposal must be supported.
To this, DL Ravindra Reddy said, "Do as you wish. I am in no way involved with this, nor am I willing to appear before the court as an accused in the future. I am opposing the resolution."
However, the Council of ministers decided to go ahead with the CM's proposal to reject CBI's plea to prosecute Dharmana.

Dharmana had sent a note to the Cabinet ministers

It is learned that Dharmana, who knew beforehand that his issue was to be placed before the Cabinet had sent a note to all the ministers on Friday morning itself. In the note, he mentioned about the CBI officers' argument in the court that there was a difference between Dharmana and Mopidevi's involvement in the Vanpic case. He tried to reason out in his letter that he was innocent. A few ministers who revealed about the note in the Cabinet meeting said that the ministers must extend their full support to Dharmana. Raghuveera Reddy who's on a padayatra, Sridhar Babu and Geeta Reddy who are on a foreign tour and 7 other ministers did not attend the Cabinet meet.
-Sakshipost