Arunachal power 'scam': Congress calls for Rijiju's sacking, demands probe

The Congress Party on Wednesday demanded an enquiry against Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju after his name and his cousin's figured in a report of the Chief Vigilance Officer of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) that alleged corruption in the construction of two dams for the Kameng Hydro Electric Project in Arunachal Pradesh.

Demanding his resignation, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said Rijiju cannot remain in such a position where such enquiry comes under his domain.

"The allegation is not that he is guilty or he is wrong. The allegation is that, on the basis of the fact that came to light, there should be serious enquiry on that. He was found guilty within his own state enquiry," he told ANI here.

Responding to Rijiju's comment that all payments for contractors named in a vigilance probe were made under Congress' regime, Dikshit said if the corruption was done during their tenure, then why is there no FIR or any kind of pre allegations registration.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the party would take up the issue of a vigilance report accusing Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju of influencing payments for a hydro project contract in Arunachal Pradesh.

"Today, we will have a party meeting. We have two to three important issues to raise in Parliament like demonetisation, India' foreign policy towards Pakistan, and of course, the issue involving Rijiju. We will discuss all these issues in the party meeting and accordingly raise our issues in parliament," Kharge told ANI.

A 129-page report was submitted by the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), Satish Verma, with regard to Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, alleging an act of corruption in the construction of two dams for the 600 megawatt Kameng Hydro Electric Project in Arunachal Pradesh worth in excess of Rs.450 crore

Goboi Rijiju, Rijiju's distant cousin, and several other officials of the NEEPCO have been alleged of corruption.