Dayakar Rao cries foul over security withdrawal

• Says it’s TRS government’s political vendetta

Warangal: TDP MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao has caused uproar over the withdrawal of escort of four gunmen attached to him by intelligence security wing as additional security cover.

The security cover was provided to him several years back based on threat assessment at that time. He was now left with a security cover containing four gunmen supplemented by one bullet proof vehicle provided by the state government. In addition to that four armed guards arranged by district police would be camped at his residence here in Hanamkonda.

Nevertheless, Errabelli Dayakar Rao on Tuesday alleged the state government was acting with political vendetta and has withdrawn the security provided to him. He maintained that the government should own the responsibility if anything happens to him.

“I leave this to the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s judgment. I have been provided escort for the past 15 years as I have a security threat in the district,” he told press persons. As a mark of protest against the scaling down of the security, the TDP leader has sent back the gunmen and left alone for Hyderabad on the day adding ‘I don’t need the gunmen provided for me’.

According to the urban police sources, a notice was served to him following recommendations by security review committee (SRC) that met on July 3, 2014 and decided to withdraw escort provide to him. It is learnt that the government has downsized security to all the former MLAs and Ministers in the district. The committee recommended for 2+2 gunmen for elected MLAs and MPs and 1+1 gunmen to MLCs and Rajya Sabha members.Sources informed that armed guards were not provided for even former Ministers Baswaraju Saraiah and Ponnnala Lakshmaiah and former Government Chief Whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy. The scaling down of security cover to VIPs was also being done in Andhra Pradesh state based on the SRC recommendations and not an unusual development, the police sources explained.

On the other hand, the district TDP president A Baswa Reddy speaking to press persons on the day has demanded the state government to revive the additional security cover given to Dayakar Rao.

In an exclusive interview with the HMTV & The Hans India, the TDP Telangana Forum leader and MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao spoke on issues like special powers to Governor on Hyderabad and delay in conducting engineering counselling.

Hans: What is your comment on central government’s decision to give special powers to Governor on Hyderabad?

Errabelli: The TDP was the first party which had asked for Telangana state with Hyderabad. Our party’s national president N Chandrababu Naidu was against Governor’s rule in Hyderabad. The TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao had demanded for Telangana state as it was in 1956. He has to tell people as to why Chandrasekhar Rao had agreed for Governor’s rule then and is backtracking now.

Hans: How do you view the TRS government’s response on engineering counseling?

Errabelli: There has been lot of delay in conducting counseling for engineering admissions. The TRS government should include every student born in Telangana, in fee reimbursement scheme. The state government should announce counseling dates for engineering admissions immediately.

Hans: What is your reaction on welfare schemes announced by the TRS government?

Errabelli: The TRS government is indulging in anti-people activities. The Chief Minister is becoming cheap before the central government with his remarks. He is spreading false campaign that N Chandrababu Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were responsible for power crisis in Telangana state. He is trying to pass-time by politicizing every issue.