Congress MLA moves Gujarat HC against "biased" minister

Gujarat High Court today asked the Government Pleader to ascertain the veracity of allegation levelled against the Revenue Minister over processing of applications of citizens submitted through a Congress MLA to avail benefits under various welfare schemes.
A bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala gave the direction on a petition moved by Congress MLA Jawahar Chavda, and scheduled the hearing on it next week.
The petitioner accused Revenue Minister Anandi Patel of giving oral instructions to officials not to provide benefits of various government welfare scheme on applications submitted by people of his constituency through Chavda.

The MLA from Manavadar in Junagadh district made the charge on the basis of a written communication received from Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
"Anandi Patel, on November 19, 2013, orally directed officials not to process any of the applications or forms received from the petitioner (Chavda).
"This communication was received from the CMO on December 12 last year," said Chavda.

"In the communication, Director of District Rural Development Agency of Junagadh wrote that Revenue Minister orally directed not to entertain any application from Chavda," he said in the petition.
In 2012, 1.45 lakh applications/forms were submitted with the help of the MLA by people belonging to Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBCs). The applications/forms were submitted to get the benefit of several housing schemes of the State and Central Governments. However, the applications went unnoticed, Chavda said.

"Despite making several representations to authorities, no help has been offered to the poor," he said in the petition and accused the Minister of adopting a biased attitude against the Opposition legislator.
The MLA sought an inquiry into the issue.