The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Panwar faction) chief Trivendra Singh Panwar has alleged that the State Government is trying to shield corrupt politicians and bureaucrats involved in the scam which led to the murder of Yudhveer Singh Rawat, the former PRO of cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat. The party has demanded a CBI inquiry into the murder.
Addressing the media in the State capital on Tuesday, Panwar said that the UKD had repeatedly pointed at the nexus of mafia elements from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh with the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats of Uttarakhand. He alleged that the leader of opposition in Vidhan Sabha Ajay Bhatt had demanded a CBI inquiry into Rawat’s murder as a mere formality as Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had visited Bhatt at home to ‘manage’ him.
“A CM who showed his insensitivity by not visiting Bhatt’s home or calling a meet to discuss and seek suggestions following the major disaster in the State visited Bhatt after Rawat’s murder to manage the situation. Neither the Congress nor the BJP have the guts to oppose the criminal elements from Muzaffarnagar and Meerut in neigbouring UP who are thriving in Uttarakhand. Corruption in transfer of Government employees and admissions in educational institutions started in 2002 and developed into a system in 2007 which is thriving at present. With a corrupt government in power, the State is open to criminals including members of Dawood Ibrahim’s underworld network,” Panwar averred.
Alleging that the criminal elements of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh want to turn Uttarakhand into a crime hub, he accused the State government, corrupt politicians and bureaucrats of turning a blind eye to this. He added that four UKD MlAs in 2002 were also guilty of trying to please the government in stead of opposing corrupt practices in public interest. “We have expelled such people from our party and will continue to oppose the corrupt because we cannot be ‘managed’ like other politicians,” he said. The party will mark the death anniversary of Uttarakhand’s Gandhi, Indramani Badoni at his statue near Clock Tower on August 18.
Party media in-charge Manmohan lakhera said that quota based admissions in educational institutions had created scope for corruption so the government should have a specific policy on this.