Will raise Kiren Rijiju's involvement in Arunachal hydro scam in LS: Kharge

Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday 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 said.

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 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.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said he is in possession of an audio tape featuring a conversation between Rijiju and his alleged cousin brother Goboi, and has demanded his resignation.

Surjewala played the audio tape on Tuesday during the daily media briefing and maintained that Goboi was involved in a scam and had the backing of the minister.