Cong govt to probe BJP regime's scams

The new Congress government in Uttarakhand is setting up an inquiry commission to probe a string of alleged scams during the previous BJP regime in the hill state.

The move came on Friday after a meeting between chief minister Vijay Bahuguna and his cabinet colleague Yashpal Arya, where the two arrived at a consensus to appoint an probe panel. “It will go into all the scandals during the (previous) BJP government, especially during the tenure of Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (who exited as chief minister in September last year,)” Arya told reporters here.

The proposed body is likely to be headed by K L Bhati, a retired IAS officer. It is expected to give the report in six months’ time.

The commission, Arya said, would probe the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 56 power projects, besides alleged scams in the Sturgia housing project, the maha kumbh mela and various other projects during the tenure of Nishank.

It was such a string of allegations that had forced the BJP to go for replace Nishank with Gen B C Khanduri seven months ago.

Arya, also the PCC chief, said his party welcomed the appointment of such a commission. “We (PCC) have already submitted a petition to the President (Pratibha Patil) on the issue,” said Arya. The Congress had prepared a list of over 500 alleged scandals during the BJP government. Significantly, the BJP government too had appointed a judicial commission to probe the alleged scandals during the N D Tiwari regime which preceded it. The B C Kandpal panel did come out with its recommendations, but no action was taken on them.