Cong leader starts fast for probe in ‘groundnut scam’ ‘Vajpayee will be remembered for interest to develop North East’

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Congress leader Paresh Dhanani began his three-day fast here on Thursday to press for his party's demand for a judicial probe into the alleged groundnut procurement scam in the state.

Before sitting on the fast outside the Sabarmati Ashram here, Dhanani visited the ashram to “seek the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi”.

The Leader of Opposition in the assembly alleged a scam was worth Rs 4,000 crore in state-wide procurement of groundnuts and said the BJP government should order a judicial probe into it to bring out the truth. “I am beginning my fast after taking Gandhiji's blessings. My fast is aimed at bringing out the truth in the Rs 4,000-crore groundnut procurement scam.

“The Congress wants a judicial probe into the scam,” he told reporters outside the ashram, a place closely associated with the Father of the Nation.

Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and senior MLA Shailesh Parmar were among party leaders who sat with Dhanani for some time to extend support to their colleague.

The Congress has been claiming the ruling BJP is trying to save “real culprits” behind alleged irregularities in procurement of groundnut from farmers by not accepting its demand for an inquiry under a sitting HC judge. The issue came to the fore two weeks ago when around 30,000 sacks of groundnuts (each weighing 35 kg) were found mixed with sand and stones. The stock was procured by the NAFED, a central agency, thorough the Gujarat State Co-operative Cotton Federation Ltd (GUJCOT) and stored at a godown at Pedhla town in Jetpur taluka of Rajkot district. SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday condoled the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said the former prime minister will be remembered for his keen interest to develop the North Eastern states.

“Under Prime Minister Vajpayee, the Central government created a separate department of Development of North-eastern Region (DONER) to ensure all-round development in the region, the East-west corridor connecting Assam's Silchar with Gujarat's Porbandar and many more,” he said in a statement.

Stating that the nation had lost an eminent public figure with his demise, the chief minister said Vajpayee “made immense contribution for the greater good of our country”.