Ramoji should not talk through his hat, says Botsa

Visakhapatnam: Education minister Botsa Satyanarayana has slammed Telugu media baron Ramoji Rao for his critical comments against the AP government’s welfare schemes, and said he spoke without ascertaining facts.

Addressing a press conference in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, the minister said Ramoji should not talk through his hat. He must change his mindset.

Botsa said tabs were given to eight lakh students of class eight and 20,000 teachers. There was transparency in inviting the tenders and executing them, he said.

The decision to purchase tabs was taken as the government wanted to create interactive panels from June 12 to July 12. The government also purchased smart TVs for installing them in 10,000 schools, the minister explained.

“Ramoji Rao claimed in his media that there was corruption in the purchase of these educational implements and there was no judicial review. Rao should know that if a tender crossed Rs 100 crore, it has to go for judicial review, a mandatory procedure that was introduced by our government,’’ Botsa said.

This was not the case when Chandrababu Naidu ran the government. Why would the YSRC government violate the rule it created, he asked.

There was judicial review first, after which the government invited tenders, he said.

The minister said the media baron alleged that there was no internet and broadband to launch the digital education. “Wwhen the decision was taken for interactive sessions and installation of smart TVS, the government invited tenders for the provision of internet. We also have an alternative to use tabs without the internet,’’ he said.

Botsa said the government invited tenders to provide internet to all schools. Prominent companies like BSNL and Reliance participated in the tenders, he added.