Under fire for purchase of sub-standard pesticides, Punjab Agriculture Minister Tota Singh on Monday categorically refuted the allegations that decision to purchase pesticides was taken on the directions of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
The Minister made it clear that all ministers are “directly responsible” for the decisions taken in their departments, and Chief Minister’s involvement was sought only on policy matters or inter-departmental concerns.
Tota Singh’s statement came after the ousted agriculture director Mangal Singh Sandhu had claimed that he had informed the Agriculture Minister about the purchase of pesticides and decision was taken at the Chief Minsterial level.
Sandhu, who was removed from the post of Agriculture Director the previous week and demoted to junior post after reports of illegal purchase of spurious pesticides amounting `37 crore came forth, had also pointed at a mole in the Chief Minister’s office who “leaked” the documents related to purchase order to the media.
The information about the purchase of “sub-standard” pesticides from a private company was reportedly leaked to the Congress leader Sunil Jakhar who passed it on to the media.
Sandhu’s accusations have brought the Chief Minister’s Office under scanner in `37 crore pesticide scam in the state agriculture department, that led to a damage of cotton crop in the state.
Taking strong exception to Sandhu’s “irresponsible utterances” in a section of press, Tota Singh said that the former Agriculture Director was now “indulging in blame-game”.
“Dr Mangal Singh is now indulging in blame-game thereby shifting the onus from one person to another indiscreetly which is unbecoming of an officer of the stature of Head of the Department,” said
the Minister.
He bemoaned that the officer “showed scant respect” for the official decorum and “botched up the bare facts” related to purchase of pesticides just to save his skin.
Tota Singh advised the officer concerned to discharge his duties within his defined domain that too within the ambit of moral decency and ethics of public conduct.
Defending the Chief Minister’s office, Tota Singh denied having made any statement to any newspaper to the effect that the decisions were taken on the directions of the Chief Minister.
“All the ministers are directly responsible for the decisions taken in their departments and the Chief Minister’s involvement is sought only on matters of policy and inter-departmental concerns. Therefore, there is no ground for involving the Chief Minister in the present case,” he said.
Earlier, the Agriculture Minister had maintained that he was not aware of any such purchase of pesticides by
his department.