Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu raised a lot of hue and cry over the suspension of Indian Revenue Service officer Jasti Krishna Kishore.
He alleged that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had been witch-hunting Krishna Kishore only because he had investigated into the alleged jacking up of share value of Jagan’s firm Jagathi Publications abnormally when he was an official in the Central Board of Direct Taxes in 2012.
Naidu also accused the Jagan government of targeting specific officers who had been on deputation from the Centre only out of vengeance.
But what Naidu failed to explain was why he had brought Krishna Kishore specifically to the State on deputation from the Centre and appointed him as the head of AP State Economic Development Board, during his tenure as chief minister between 2014 and 2019.
The answer is simple: Naidu had brought the IRS officer had resorted to witch-hunt of Jagan in the past.
It also created an impression that Krishna Kishore might have done so at the behest of Naidu. Apparently, both hail from the same community.
“By particularly bringing Krishna Kishore from the Centre and now raising a hue and cry over his suspension, Naidu has indirectly admitted that the IRS officer was his man and had acted according to Naidu’s instructions,” YSRC legislator and spokesman Ambati Rambabu said.
He said there was no need to make so much fuss about the suspension of an IRS officer, as the action was taken in the wake of reports from the industries department that he had indulged in corruption.
“It is quite common that the government would suspend any official who faces allegations and orders for an inquiry. Despite these normal procedures, Naidu is highlighting the issue with the help of his friendly media and saying that the suspension was illegal,” he charged.
