The Income Tax raids on the houses and offices of Telugu Desam Party Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh on Friday morning has no doubt angered Ramesh and of course, the TDP leaders.
But more than Ramesh, it was TDP general secretary and Andhra Pradesh Information Technology minister Nara Lokesh who reacted first through his social media.
He tweeted that the Centre had begun intimidation politics with IT raids on party leaders Mastan Rao, Sujana Chowdary and now C M Ramesh.
“TDP leaders are being unduly targeted for raising voice against the Centre for breaking every promise made during the bifurcation,” he said.
Lokesh went on to describe the IT raids as part of Operation Garuda launched by Prime Minister Modi.
He said it was an attack on Andhra people, just because they were demanding implementation of 18 promises made by the Centre apart from special category status. Modi has developed grouse on Andhra Pradesh.
“But we shall continue our fight and bring Modi government on its knees and achieve special category status. It is our right,” he said.
He also said the IT raids were the response to the fight launched by Ramesh demanding Kadapa steel plant by taking up fast unto death.
The people of Andhra Pradesh would teach a fitting lesson to the BJP at an appropriate time for trying to suppress their voice by adopting dictatorial policies, he said.
BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member G V L Narasimha Rao wondered why Lokesh was so anguished over the IT raids on a businessman like Ramesh on the suspicion of income tax evasion.
“May be they will have some information about IT issues and hence raided Ramesh’s house and offices. If there is nothing wrong with Ramesh, they cannot do anything. Why are they feeling so panicky?” he asked.
He wondered whether Lokesh had parked his ill-gotten money with Ramesh or whether the TDP MP was a benami holder of Lokesh’s illegal assets.
“Otherwise, why should Lokesh react so strongly? Why should he link up the IT raids with politics? They conducted searches even in the houses of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi. That is their duty,” GVL said.