Cong leader starts fast for judicial probe in 'groundnut scam'

Gujarat Congress leader Paresh Dhanani began his three-day fast here today to press for his party's demand for a judicial probe into the alleged groundnut procurement scam in the state.

Before sitting on the fast outside the Sabarmati Ashram here, Dhanani visited the ashram to "seek the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi".

The Leader of Opposition in the assembly alleged a scam was worth Rs 4,000 crore in state-wide procurement of groundnuts and said the BJP government should order a judicial probe into it to bring out the truth.

"I am beginning my fast after taking Gandhiji's blessings. My fast is aimed at bringing out the truth in the Rs 4,000-crore groundnut procurement scam.

"The Congress wants a judicial probe into the scam," he told reporters outside the ashram, a place closely associated with the Father of the Nation.

Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and senior MLA Shailesh Parmar were among party leaders who sat with Dhanani for some time to extend support to their colleague.

The Congress has been claiming the ruling BJP is trying to save "real culprits" behind alleged irregularities in procurement of groundnut from farmers by not accepting its demand for an inquiry under a sitting High Court judge.

The issue came to the fore two weeks ago when around 30,000 sacks of groundnuts (each weighing 35 kg) were found mixed with sand and stones.

The stock was procured by the National Agriculture Co- operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), a central agency, thorough the Gujarat State Co-Operative Cotton Federation Ltd (GUJCOT) and stored at a godown at Pedhla town in Jetpur taluka of Rajkot district.

The opposition Congress has alleged large-scale corruption in procurement of groundnuts in the state.

Till date, 27 people, including officials of NAFED and GUJCOT, have been arrested by the Rajkot Police in connection with the alleged adulteration of the groundnut stock at Pedhla town.