Alleging that Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat was involved in the alleged Dhaincha seeds scam as the then Agriculture Minister in 2010, the Jan Sangharsh Morcha chief Raghunath Singh Negi said that the Tripathi commission had recommended action against Rawat on three points. He said that Rawat had recently been given a clean chit by the Cabinet on this issue whereas the subject had not been inquired into in detail.
Addressing the media here on Thursday, Negi said that during his term as the State Agriculture Minister in 2010, Rawat had passed orders for purchase of 15,000 quintals Dhaincha seeds when the demand for 9680 quintals. He alleged that , scheming through tenders these seeds were purchased for Rs 3839 per quintal whereas in the Haridwar Mandi Samiti and in the open market the same were available for Rs 1538 per quintal at that time. The seeds were purchased from an enterprise in Nainital though available in adequate quantities with State and Central agencies. Negi alleged, “The then Agriculture Minister ordered suspension of a few departmental officials and later cancelled their suspension stating that their suspension would affect agricultural schemes adversely. later, during the term of the Congress-led state government, a single member SC Tripathi inquiry commission was formed to probe into this case. After detailed inquiry, the Tripathi Commission had recommended action against Rawat on three points including the ordering of suspension of departmental officials and then withdrawal of the same order, making recommendation without ensuring seed demand process and showing disapproval for a vigilance inquiry into the role of the Agriculture Secretary. The commission had also stated that Rawat was liable under the Prevention of Corruption Act and that the government should examine this and take action. It is surprising that the recommendations of the commission have been presented in the House three times with the Cabinet directing formation of a committee for examination of the matter. However, recently the cabinet has given a clean chit to Rawat in this case without an inquiry even though the matter is still pending in the High Court. The Jan Sangharsh Morcha demands of the governor that based on the recommendations of the Tripathi inquiry commission, Rawat should be removed from his post,” added Negi.