Kunamneni rejects Harish Rao’s missing coal allegations

CPI state secretary and MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao said Harish Rao could seek a CBI probe if he had doubts over the alleged missing coal stocks.

Hyderabad: Singareni Collieries Workers Union honorary president, CPI state secretary and MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, on Friday, June 26, dismissed as “completely false” allegations by former minister Harish Rao that 4 million tonnes of coal had gone missing from Singareni.

Speaking at a press conference at Makhdoom Bhavan in Hyderabad, Kunamneni said Harish Rao was free to seek a CBI inquiry if he had doubts over the issue.

He alleged that leaders of the BRS government had inflated coal stock figures by 7.5 million tonnes during their tenure and demanded that they first explain those discrepancies.

Kunamneni recalled that Dasoju Sravan Kumar, then a Congress spokesperson, had lodged a complaint with the Central Vigilance Commission over the matter.

He advised Harish Rao not to make allegations that could damage the reputation of Singareni and alleged that non-existent coal stocks had been shown in records either to secure loans or improve the company’s ratings.

Kunamneni criticises Congress

Kunamneni further criticised the Congress government for continuing the same policies in Singareni that were pursued by the previous BRS government.

Union president Vasireddy Sitaramaiah alleged that the BJP, Congress and BRS were using Singareni as a political platform.