The Hindu : Cong. seeks probe

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 06, 2002

National

National

Cong. seeks probe

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 5. Even as the Congress welcomed the Government's decision to cancel the allotment of petrol pumps and gas/kerosene agencies, the party continued with its demand for the resignation of the Petroleum Minister, Ram Naik, as the cancellation was an "admission of guilt''.

Describing the cancellation as a "glorious victory for the vibrancy of Indian democracy'', the party spokesman, S. Jaipal Reddy, told presspersons that it was tantamount to an admission of guilt on the part of all concerned, particularly Mr. Naik, as the chairmen of the Dealership Selection Boards (DSBs) and members were appointed by him.

He said the Congress would continue to press for a thorough probe into the scam. "There must be an enquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge assisted by the CBI. Also, the CBI must immediately seize all documents and scrutinise the assets and liabilities of the chairmen and members of the DSBs.''

The Congress also released documentary evidence of how the process of allotting petrol pumps had been vitiated by the Government, which, according to the Rajya Sabha MP, Kapil Sibal, "is a national calamity''. Providing details of the operation in the Aurangabad centre, where 119 pumps were allotted, Mr. Sibal said each deal was struck for Rs. 45 lakhs. With 60 such centres nationwide, the scam, he said, was of the tune of Rs. 500 crores and the "money was meant for the BJP, its leaders, the DSB chairmen...'' In Aurangabad, the entire operation was run by a BJP activist, Nitinkumar Mohanlal Bora, who used his contacts with the sons of the DSB chairman for the centre — a retired district and sessions judge — to "facilitate'' allocation of petrol pumps and kerosene/gas agencies.

Describing this as the "biggest scam ever since Independence'', Mr. Sibal said corruption had been institutionalised under the BJP regime. "The Government of India has been turned into a corporation where the BJP is the manager and the RSS workers the shareholders.''

On the BJP allegation that several Congress workers had been allotted pumps and agencies in the same round of allotments, Mr. Reddy said: "Their cases, too, should be treated at par with the rest.''

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