Allegations fly thick and fast over illegal mining
› When the report of Narang panel was submitted, CM said a final report about action taken will come in 15 days. But nothing has happened. SUKHPAL KHAIRA, leader of oppn
CHANDIGARH: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members on Wednesday created ruckus in the House over lack of clarity regarding the action taken on the Narang Commission report, which had submitted its findings three months ago.
“When the report was submitted, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh assured that a final report about the action taken would come in 15 days. But nothing has happened in this regard so far, and illegal mining is going on across the state in a most blatant manner. Please let me know what action the government has taken on the commission’s recommendations,” asked leader of opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira, during the Zero Hour on the concluding day of the winter session of assembly.
In a 90-page report, Justice JS Narang commission had said that there was no loss of revenue and the mining auction was carried in a transparent manner, through e-tendering process. The issue over alleged irregularities in the auction of sand quarries had rocked the state in April.
“You cannot force the government to give a reply,” said speaker Rana KP Singh told Khaira. After that Khaira and other AAP stood up and demanded action in this regard.
Khaira alleged that power and irrigation minister Rana Gurjit Singh and Amit Bahadur, a former employee of Rana’s company, were involved in the mining scandal.
Reacting to Khaira, four cabinet ministers — Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Charanjeet Singh Channi and Aruna Chaudhary — stood up to defend Rana Gurjit.
Sidhu urged the speaker to ask Khaira to seek apology from the House for downgrading a member. However, Khaira pointed towards the treasury benches and said, “Illegal mining is still going on at many places in the state and there was a lot coming in the media”.
Reacting to it, Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said there’s lot written in the print media against Khaira over drug charges, so the action might be initiated against Khaira too.
RAJA BHAIYA’S NAME ROCKS THE HOUSE
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu, referring to the law and order problem in Uttar Pradesh, said a politician whose name figures in extortion and murder cases came to meet Congress legislator Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, was not a good sign when looters and gangsters were already on the prowl.
Dhillon replied that Raja Bhaiya (Raghuraj Pratap Singh), who is a six-time MLA, former minister, an associate member of BJP, came to Punjab in search of good breed of cows and horses. “He also visited former CM Parkash Singh Badal and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia.”
SAD MLAS, carrying placards with photograph of Dhillon with Raja Bhaiya, then jumped into the well, raising slogans against Dhillon.
Former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said the opposition was not heard in the Vidhan Sabha. “I tried to ask why development works have been stopped. I had sought an adjournment motion on the issue, but my motion was rejected,” he said.