Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat's resignation as the chairman of the Uttarakhand seeds and Terai development corporation (USTDC) seems to have given the Opposition BJP some reasons to smile. "His resignation as the chairman of the STDC has only vindicated our stand that Rawat's appointment is unconstitutional that we have been maintaining ever since he was made the chairman of this organisation," alleged Hemant Dwivedi, former chairman of the STDC and senior BJP leader.
The interesting fact is that the State BJP became vocal on the issue of Rawat's becoming head of the STDC only when Dwivedi's name was dragged in the Bhati Commission report accusing him of financial irregularities during his (Dwivedi's) tenure as the chairman of the STDC.
The former chairman of the STDC allegedly said that it is quite surprising that all the senior officials of the USTDC who were suspended on the charge of financial irregularities during my tenure as the chairman, have now been reinstated by the incumbent state Government, Dwivedi further said.
Since the matter related to the USTDC is presently before the High Court of Uttarakhand and even the tainted senior officials of the USTDC have been reinstated, therefore, anticipating further embarrassment in this case, the State agriculture minister has resigned, the senior BJP leader alleged.
The BJP would continue its fight against all the wrong doings of this Congress-led Government in future also, asserted Dwivedi. Disappointed with the much-talked about Bhati Commission's report, Dwivedi moved the HC in March, questioning the report. Challenging the Bhati Commission's report in the HC, he said that this enquiry report has been prepared without giving him a chance to clear his stand on this issue.
The Bhati Commission was set up by the Congress led State Government to investigate the alleged irregularities committed in the previous BJP regime in the said STDC case, Citurgia land deal, 56 hydro power allotments, irregularities in organising the Kumbha Mela and several Centrally sponsored schemes, Dhaicha seed purchase to name a few. The Bhati Commission's report was submitted to the State Government on Tuesday March 5.