Chief Minister Raman Singh’s claim that he has ‘zero-tolerance’ policy for corruption has been made mockery by his own administration, the Congress party here alleged on Thursday.
State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel and Chhattisgarh State Congress spokesperson Muhammad Akbar said the Government had been covering up corruption cases. The Opposition party leaders at a news conference here stated that the Chhattisgarh lok Ayog had recommended action against as many as 91 officers between 2009 and 2012 but the administration put it on hold.
They alleged the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) had accused Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission chairman Narayan Singh of corruption in 2004. Even it had registered a case against him and 27 others under prevention of corruption act. In spite of that, it was a matter of surprise that the Chief Minister appointed him as the chairman of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, they questioned.
Pointing out that the lok Ayog had recommended action against 30 officers in 21 cases of corruption between 2009 and 2010, nothing was done. The recommendations were sent to the General Administration Department (GAD) for approval which functions under the Chief Minister. The department did not act on the matter, they said.
CGPCC chief Baghel said that the Congress would stage a day-long State-wide ‘economic blockade’ to demand free power for farmers, Rs 2,400 per quintal of the minimum support price for paddy including bonus besides cutting down power tariff for domestic consumers to half on Friday. He said that the party would stage the ‘economic blockage’ with the help of state’s farmers and the people.
Baghel said that during the ‘Economic Blockade’ in over 100 places, movement of goods would be stopped in the State. Responding to a query that the Congress party in its Assembly poll manifesto had promised to get Rs 2,000 per quintal for the farmers as the minimum support price so the Chhattisgarh unit of the party must exert pressure over UPA government to approve the same, the CGPCC Chief remarked : ‘The Union government makes policies for the entire country while the polls were held for Chhattisgarh State.’
“During the Assembly poll campaign, the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had stated of offering support price of Rs 2,400 per quintal of paddy, Baghel said, adding ‘ In Ambikapur, Narendra Modi while lauding Dr Raman Singh had said that he (Chief Minister) was giving bonus of Rs 270 per quintal of paddy to farmers of the State on his own so why is the State government looking towards the Union government nowIJ”
