Minister for Excise, Culture, Sports and Tourism V. Srinivas Goud has clarified that he had fired into air during a freedom walk organised as part of the diamond jubilee Independence day celebrations with a blank gun in Mahabubnagar on Saturday and it had neither bullets nor pellets.
Speaking to newspersons here after the incident has made headlines in the media, the Minister alleged those who did not like his rise in politics were behind a campaign against him involving the incident. He stated that events such as freedom run and freedom walk were being organised across the State as part of the diamond jubilee celebrations of the country’s Independence.
A freedom walk was organised at Mahabubnagar by the Police department on Saturday and he had participated in it and fired a blank gun. He explained that firing with a blank gun would also make noise (sound) similar to the firing of a gun with bullet or pellet. The Superintendent of Police would have powers to given such a gun for symbolic firing on such occasion, he noted.
He stated that he had also fired with a blank gun at Warangal too three days back during a similar event there. There was no controversy in Warangal but those who did not like his rise in politics in Mahabubnagar were making an issue out of nothing. He said he was a member of the Rifle Association and had good understanding about guns and bullets and the rules.
