BJP corners Congress Govt over alleged coal transportation scam
Bhilai, Oct 17: After the Enforcement Directorate issued a detailed press release regarding raids in Chhattisgarh, senior BJP leaders of Durg including MP Vijay Baghel, former VS Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey and MLA Vidya Ratan Bhasin said that widespread corruption in the state has been exposed and the Chief Minister has lost the moral rights to continue further. Citizens brought the Congress into power with majority in the assembly elections of 2018 but now the voters are regretting, said MP Vijay Baghel on Monday while addressing media persons here at Supela. He questioned why a team of Chhattisgarh Police led by an ASP rank officer was guarding the residence of a female state services officer when the ED raids were on. MP Baghel further alleged that the main kingpin of the scam Suryakant Tiwari is absconding under the CM’s protection.
Former VS Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey said that the MLAs of BJP had raised the issue of coal transportation scam in the Vidhan Sabha but in reply the CM always asked them to prove the allegation. Now the ED raids have exposed this massive scam in which an illegal levy of Rs 25 per tonne was being extorted from every tonne of coal transported in the state of Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen. Pandey said that the Congress government modified the existing online process of e-permit for coal transportation from mines to users into manual NOC. More than 30000 NOCs were issued without any SOP. Many details like the transporter’s name, company’s name, etc are left blank. Pandey added that huge unaccounted cash and gold jewellery were found from the places of the senior IAS officer and two others arrested by ED. The details mentioned in the statement issued by ED have established the allegations of BJP regarding massive corruption in the state. He further alleged that Congress state government is providing protection to the illegal activities of cricket betting, bootlegging etc. He added that the leaders of Congress itself have been levelling allegations of irregularities and corruption on the administrative officers.
MLA Vidyaratan Bhasin said that any person who has taken oath of the Constitution should not create hurdles on the actions of a constitutional agency. What message does the Congress want to give by sending police to guard the people against whom ED was taking action.
They questioned when the CM is going to take action against the people involved in this scam. They added why the CM is creating hurdles in the action against corruption. BJP District President Virendra Sahu, BJP leaders Shankarlal Dewangan, Sharda Gupta, Nishu Pandey and others were present.
