Before leaving for the Enforcement Directorate office in the State Capital for his questioning in the alleged mining scam to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore in Sahebganj district, Chief Minister Hemant Soren made a strong statement against ED that it is making sensational claims in the alleged mining scam of Rs 1000 crore. He also blamed the Governor of the State for keeping mum on the EC letter and thus encouraging horse trading in the State.
Addressing media persons at his residence on Thursday morning the CM said, “Today I have to go to ED office as I have been summoned and ED is probing illegal mining in the State. In that context, I have sent a letter to ED. The mention of the Rs 1000 crore scam coming from Sahibganj district is very unfortunate. How its basis was made is beyond comprehension. How many crores must have been mined to do a scam of 1000 crores? How the transportation would have happened and let us see in the last 2 years.”
“The allegations that have been levelled do not seem possible from anywhere. I think somewhere the agencies should level allegations only after conducting a detailed investigation. Today, I am the Chief Minister of the State on a Constitutional post and the manner in which a summon is being processed. Looks like we are about to run away from the country, and in my political history I don't see any leader leaving the country except businessmen. Somewhere due to such action, a situation of doubt has arisen in the State. This is a conspiracy to destabilize the government,” he said.
“Since the formation of our government, the opposition has been continuously trying to destabilize it. Since the formation of our opposition government, the conspiracy to topple the government has been going on. This conspiracy submarine, which was submerged in water, was not having the power to come up. Today efforts are being made to bring this submarine up,” he said.
Talking about the Election Commission letter to the Governor in the office of profit case against him, the CM said, “Months ago the EC gave his opinion but till the Governor has not opened it. I think he is also waiting for some time. His Highness asked the Election Commission for a second opinion, then it came to our knowledge that the Governor did not ask for a second opinion from the EC. His statement definitely keeps coming and he talks about bursting crackers and bombs in the State and then summons are issued. And after that raids are conducted on the MLAs of the ruling party. Sometimes it is Income Tax, sometimes ED and till now I am getting the news that preparations are being made to raid more MLAs.”
“Somewhere the governor is giving protection to conspiratorial politics. You are also being informed about the allegations made by the agencies and how the allegations are baseless. When the revenue is increasing so tremendously during the tenure of our government, there is action on a large scale. And look at the allegations of the time when the opposition was in power, there was a loss in the revenue as well, there was a slow pace in the proceedings,” said the CM.
“When we are increasing the resources of the state and a long line of development plans is being drawn, somewhere in this image of the government, people are showing faith in the government, and then efforts are being made to tarnish our image. I think the democracy of this country should be respected and there are people working inside the democracy, they should also do their work in a fair manner. I am surprised that such big allegations are being made against a Chief Minister so lightly,” he added, showing a three-page letter to the ED, in which he has given clarification to the agency that the Rs 1000 crore scam in stone mining in a district was not possible as per facts available.