'Cut your links with Maoists': Union Minister Bandi Sanjay warns Telangana politicians

Hyderabad, Oct 19 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Sunday warned the Telangana politicians, who are allegedly supporting armed networks while preaching democracy.

Sanjay Kumar in a post on 'X' attached a media report which claimed that senior Naxalite Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi, who had surrendered before Maharashtra police recently, "revealed" about a secret collusion between a faction of the guerrillas and some Telangana politicians.

The Union minister in the post said "Telangana politicians - consider this a warning. Those allegedly supporting armed networks while preaching democracy on stage, cut your links or get exposed. Central agencies won’t stop at Maoist cadres." He said under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the Centre is tracing the nexus that shields corruption, criminality and extremist links - and will root them out without mercy or leniency.

Sanjay Kumar further said "Whoever it may be, however big you think you are - step aside if you’re part of the problem. In matters of nation’s internal security, even the tallest leaders will fall if they stand on the wrong side." Venugopal Rao, alias Bhupathi alias Sonu, a native of Telangana, a member of the central committee and Politburo of CPI(Maoist), who carried a bounty of Rs 6 crore, surrendered before police along with 60 other cadres in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district recently. PTI VVK GDK VVK ADB