Hyderabad: IT and industries minister D Sridhar Babu on Tuesday dismissed reports describing a recent meeting of ministers as a “secret meeting,” calling the claims misleading and politically coloured.In a statement, Sridhar Babu said that in a democratic system, discussions among those holding constitutional responsibilities should not be misrepresented. He expressed concern over what he termed false narratives being circulated on social media.
“The state Cabinet functions as a collective unit. Coordination among senior ministers on governance-related issues is part of our responsibility to ensure smooth administration,” he said. He added that the meeting was held at the official residence of deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka and focused purely on administrative matters.Clarifying further, the minister said that after attending the ‘At Home’ programme at Raj Bhavan, the ministers travelled together in a single vehicle in full public view, and there was nothing covert about their interaction.Sridhar Babu was referring to his visit, along with ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Adluri Laxman Kumar, to Bhatti Vikramarka’s residence at Praja Bhavan on Monday. Some social media posts had portrayed the interaction as a clandestine meeting held in the absence of chief minister A Revanth Reddy and linked it to allegations surrounding Naini coal block tenders.Strongly rejecting the insinuations, Sridhar Babu said the discussions also covered preparedness for the forthcoming municipal elections. “Such deliberations are a routine and legitimate part of political activity in a democratic system. Portraying them as secretive is unwarranted,” he said.The minister said the govt welcomed constructive criticism but cautioned that speculative reporting and personal attacks weaken democratic discourse.
