Demand for judicial probe in J&K Mining Gate picks up momentum
Jammu Tawi, May 05: The BJP ex-Legislator, Vikram Randhawa who has been issued a show-cause notice by the BJP’s Disciplinary Committee to explain his position on his accusations of corruption against the Union Minister in PMO, Jitendra Singh, has sought another day to submit his version. A report said that Vikram Randhawa today spoke to the J&K BJP president, Ravinder Raina and asked for one more to explain his position. According to the show-cause notice, Randhawa was asked to present before the party’s Disciplinary Committee on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, demand for holding a high-level judicial inquiry in the illegal mining scam and allegations of corruption involving politicians, civil and police officers gained momentum.
Ashok Sharma, a former Congress MLA and Chairman, Anti-Corruption Commando Force (ACCF) has demanded a high-level judicial probe headed by a sitting or former Supreme Court Judge to look into the charges linked to the a highest office of the country in J&K’s illegal mining scam that was revealed by BJP senior leader and ex-legislator Vikram Randhawa.
In a statement issued he said,
It has been the open fact that illegal mining has been going on in river Tawi bed and elsewhere since the day of High Court ban extraction of minor mineral from Tawi. It cannot be possible without the connivance of the Geology & Mining Department, Civil and Police officers under the patronage of BJP politicians.
In an interview with a local news video channel, senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister while criticising the UT government for its insensitivity to the peoples’ issues have admitted that administration has been left to few ‘black sheep’ who are corrupt prevalent. He admitted that while there is truth in the allegations leveled by the party’s ex-MLC are correct up to some extent, he had used improper language.
Bhushan Parimoo, President Environmental Awareness Forum, termed the four-member committee constituted to examine illegal mining charges around river Tawi it an act of eyewash to save the suspects. He demanded an impartial probe to know the facts as allegations were of a very serious nature. The composition of the committee is drawn from the same department against which the allegations are leveled.
One of the members is the oldest in the department and is the key person, as alleged on track record. The Department of G & M stinks of corruption thus under such circumstance how one can expect justice – Parimoo
Environment Awareness Forum demands
Government should institute a high-level committee headed by a retired or serving High Court judge, with a reference to inquire into the State-sponsored illegal/unscientific mining which goes contrary to the environment laws affect the fragile biodiversity of the UT and lay guidelines for extraction on minor minerals beside direction for action against the delinquents.
He said their forum would provide sufficient proof to lay bare the beans about the nexus between the mining mafia and the caucus of politicians and the Departments from the Revenue, Mining, Police, Pollution Control Board, Forests and the Panchayats which function in a well oiled and calibrated manner to facilitate illegal mining to extract minor minerals such as sand, bajri and boulders worth crores from the river beds.
