Hyderabad: A family Diwali gathering was "maliciously labelled a 'rave party'" Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao said Monday afternoon, hitting back hard in the row over police raids - and questioning claims about the use of narcotics when none were found - on his brother-in-law's 'farmhouse'.
Cyberabad cops said they seized stocks of foreign liquor and that one person - Vijay Madduri - was positive for cocaine. Authorities said they tested all 21 men detained but not 14 women also present.
KT Rama Rao, or KTR as he is called, however, slammed the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for "speaking recklessly... after officials stated no drugs were found".
"So why this malicious campaign?" he asked, "... Pakala's test was negative but BJP and Congress are spreading baseless rumors about him. How can they file a case under NDPS (the anti-narcotics law)?"
"First they said it was an excise case... for possessing more alcohol... but then they started calling it a 'narcotics case'. They are labeling it a narcotics case only on orders from above..." he raged.
READ | 'Farmhouse' Of Relative Of Former Telangana Minister KTR Raided
"How was there a difference between the morning's panchanama (cops' record of the raid) and the police case? They dug a mountain... claiming there were bombs but didn't even find a mouse."
Pakala has been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Gaming Act, while Mr Rama Rao and BRS leaders have criticised the attempted "character assassination".
"Wrong To Have Diwali Gathering?"
"In Telangana today, is it wrong for a family to have a gathering at home for Diwali? Should we seek permission even for that? Raj Pakala built a house and had a housewarming ceremony for family and friends... but some are maliciously labeling this family gathering as a 'rave party'," KTR continued.
Attacking the Congress - which thumped the BRS in last year's election - for running a "malicious campaign and political conspiracy", KTR also said "we won't stop fighting for the people..."
"Despite no illegal activities on our part there is a malicious campaign and political conspiracy against us by the (state) government... BRS leaders are being slapped with false cases for exposing (Chief Minister Revanth) Reddy's corrupt activities, like the civil supplies scam..."
"Unable to confront us politically, they (the Congress) resort to conspiracies, but we have braved challenges and have been in this struggle. We are not afraid of Revanth Reddy's plots..."
"Since yesterday there has been an absurd attempt to conspire against us."
BJP, Congress, BRS Trade Barbs
Meanwhile, in a complicated game of political musical chairs, the ruling Congress has also come under fire from the BJP for "pretending" to enforce anti-drugs laws while protecting BRS leaders.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said, "There is information that family members of Twitter Tillu (his epithet for KTR) and main drug suppliers were present. BJP is demanding a serious investigation."
"Speculations are rife that family members were supposedly present but Congress is pressuring police to shield them rather than holding them accountable..." he said in a video statement on X.
"Seize passports of all high-profile individuals involved... secure their locations, and release every piece of CCTV footage. We call for immediate arrests with absolutely no leniency, and no escape routes."
The BRS, meanwhile, has claimed "match-fixing" by its two rivals, orchestrated by the Chief Minister and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, to trap KTR and the state party, and has vowed to take legal action.
The BRS has denied claims drugs and foreign liquor - beyond permitted amounts - were seized.
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