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Kovvur MLA breaks down in Assembly

Hyderabad, 28 August 2009: The issue of “harassment” of TDP MLA from Kovvur T. V. Rama Rao in connection with the incidents in the nursing college he runs at Nidadavole in West Godavari district, rocked the Assembly on Thursday culminating in abrupt adjournment of the House.

As the issue was finally taken up, Mr. Rama Rao broke down and gave his version of the events at the college on June 18 following a rumour that a Kerala girl-student was raped and murdered by him.

He said girl-students were of his daughter’s age and he was like their father. “How can I commit such offences? I lost all my reputation and even the marriage of my own daughter is at stake.”

He pleaded innocence and sought Deputy Speaker N. Manohar, who occupied the chair, to come to his rescue. He made a fervent pleat to Congress members to allow him to speak as the latter booed at him. Mr. Rao said the reporter of a Telugu daily, Saakshi, who filed a report about the “fictitious” rape and murder, was responsible for the rumour. The report was a part of the “sinister campaign” unleashed by Congress leaders against him as he had refused to join their party.

Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, stated that the police did not find any evidence of rape or murder. A case of outraging the modesty of girls was registered against the MLA based on the finding that he stayed in a room close to theirs in the hostel sharing bathroom that he made vain bids to outrage their modesty.

The adjournment soon after her statement left the Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu flustered as he wanted to react on it.