Despite the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat harping on zero tolerance for corruption soon after assuming charge, the people of the district headquarters Pauri are unhappy over State Government sitting on the matter related to Pauri municipal council president Yashpal Benam who has been found guilty of embezzling government funds in the inquiry report submitted by the Pauri district magistrate and Garhwal Commissioner. The same trend found during the previous Congress regime being engaged in shielding Benam against any legal action vis-a-vis the alleged embezzlement of the government funds is still continuing under the present dispensation, runs the common refrain.
It is being alleged that the state government is choosing to sit on the matter despite the CM being presented with the RTI report and the inquiry report during his visit of the district a few months ago. The people say that two ministers are trying every means to suppress the matter. Given the state of things, it is unlikely that action would follow against the graft-tainted civic body president, they say. They further say that in case the State Government continues to dither they would be forced to send the inquiry findings to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah who had assured the people of the State with a corruption free Government if their party was voted to power during the 2017 election campaigning. They also threatened to move court to take the matter to its logical conclusion.
Mention worthy, Garhwal MP B C Khanduri along with some others have asked the CM to initiate legal action against Benam.