Gulabi Coolie reeks of extortion: N Uttam Kumar Reddy

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday demanded an inquiry into the TRS party's fundraising drive under 'Gulabi Coolie' programme. "The so-called drive of 'Gulabi Coolie' is nothing but a shield to conceal operation extortion from businessmen in the name of holding a purposeless public meeting at Warangal. The TRS leaders of all ranks and file were allegedly extorting a huge money from businessmen and to give legitimacy to this illegal activity, some top leaders were working at some places to 'raise' funds.

Highlights:

• TPCC President N Uttam Kumar Reddy says the Ministers and TRS activists claim to have earned money by working in one or other institution or selling one or other item
• Hence, no income tax exemption should be given to the earnings being made by the Ministers and partymen

Does it not sound insane that Minister KTR earns Rs 7 lakh by selling ice creams; Health Minister Lakshma Reddy gets Rs 5 lakh by working as an attender for an hour in a corporate hospital and Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari gets Rs 2 lakh for a half-an-hour lecture in private college,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.He said the Congress party had received several complaints from business community stating that it was harassed by the TRS leaders who demanded exorbitant amounts for their party's plenary and public meeting. He said the TRS leaders had raised crores of rupees by way of alleged extortion during the last 15 days. "KCR legalised extortion on the occasion of his party's 16th formation day and empowered all his workers to collect huge amounts from the businessmen in their areas.

To cover up this illegal activity, he announced a drive to raise funds for public meeting to make all extortions appear legal. It was not 'Gulabi Coolie' but 'Pink Extortion', a cash gift given by KCR to his party men," he said. The TPCC Chief also asked whether the Ministers and other top TRS leaders paid Income Tax on their 'earnings'. He said Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao himself had announced that the party would raise about Rs 30 crore for public meeting. He said the IT Department should collect complete details of funds raised by the TRS leaders and make them pay the taxes. He said the funds raised were not in the form of any donation and had been shown as direct earning. Therefore, no tax exemption should be given to any individual/firm. He also demanded probe into the firms/individuals who paid huge sums as 'remuneration' to the TRS leaders.