| Kavinder Gupta supports Vikram Randhawa’s claims | | Suborn bureaucracy is not listening masses, alleges ex-Dy CM | | AVINASH AZAD
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 6: Supporting the serious allegations of corruption against bureaucracy and some politicians by the ex-MLC Vikram Singh Randhawa, former Dy Chief Minister, Kavinder Gupta today said that it is high time for the government to take decisive action against corrupt officers.
Gupta during an interview with a local news channel said that Randhawa had used bad language while expressing his views, but what he said cannot be ignored. “The allegations leveled by Randhawa, are not baseless.
The government should view the matter seriously. Price of mining material is touching the sky. A five time hike in price of the material has been reported”, he said, adding that the government should conduct an independent probe into it.
“Unfortunately, those who are part of the department in question have been asked to enquire the matter. If the government seriously wants to act against the corrupt officers, an independent panel of experts needs to be constituted to enquire the matter.
The enquiry ordered by the government is nothing but an eyewash”, he said.
A senior most and non-controversial BJP leader Kavinder Gupta also questioned government’s profit-oriented approach. “Government’s job should not be profit oriented. I do not support the wine trade, but I oppose the recent, one sided, decision of the government to snatch away livelihoods from the families who were solely dependent on it for their survival, but the bureaucracy ignoring repercussion of it forcefully imposed the policy on people. Government should be friendly, not anti-people”, he said.
Gupta said that he was surprised why overnight, the fine of Rs 25 lakh imposed on Randhawa’s stone crusher turned into Rs one crore. “Certainly, nobody will accept it. Why the fine increased four times in a night. It means something fishy was there on part of the mining department. Randhawa is not the first person who exposed the mining mafia. The issue has been in headlines since 2018”, he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that on May 3, Randhawa had accused union minister Dr Jitendra Singh of encouraging the mining mafia, and in response to Randhawa’s allegations Dr Singh’s lawyer has served defamation notice on him.
Meanwhile, a senior Police officer told Early Times that something ‘bad’ was happening that’s why the Police department seize vehicles loaded with mining material. “You will see a large number of trucks, dumpers, trollies seized by Jammu Police, especially by the city Police at various locations. It clearly shows involvement of the Mining department”, said the officer, wishing not to be named.
On May 5, the District Mining Officer, Jammu in an application written to SSP Jammu has sought registration of case against Vikram Randhawa and has also demanded security on the basis of threats given by Randhawa to him during a press conference on May 3. |
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