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Apex court notice to
six Andhra ministers

 HYDERABAD, March13, 2012: In a development that is bound to cause major embarrasment to the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on 26 Government Orders (GO) issued during the tenure of late chief minister Y S Rajashekara Reddy which were allegedly in favour of the business interests of his son, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.The notice was issued to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), six Andhra Pradesh ministers and eleven IAS officers serving in the state at the time. The GO allegedly helped Jagan and others to amass illegal wealth. It may be recalled that the CBI is probing into the disproportionate assets case against the Kadapa MP and President of YSR Congress (YSRC). Seizing the opportunity to slam the ruling party, the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) raised the issue in the state Assembly and demanded the resignation of the ministers for their alleged role in the entire affair. Following the uproar, Deputy Speaker Bhatti Vikramarka had to adjourn the House for the day as TDP members stalled the proceedings by surrounding the podium while demanding the resignations of the “tainted” ministers. TDP member P. Keshav raised the issue in the house and demanded a debate on the Supreme Court issuing notice to the six ministers and 11 bureaucrats. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy intervened to say that the Supreme Court had not passed any comments on any minister. Stating that the government would respond after the ministers receive the notice, Kiran Reddy said: “The government is ready to defend itself and the ministers in the court and outside the court. We are ready for a debate but let us first know the details.” Not satisfied with the chief minister’s assurance, the TDP members continued to raise slogans, and amid the pandemonium, Speaker N Manohar adjourned the house for some time. When the house re-assembled, the TDP continued with its protest, forcing the deputy speaker to adjourn the house for the day.