‘Bailout package’ for Jaypee,land purchase ‘scam’ rocks Assembly

The Congress tried its best to corner two ministers – Mohinder Singh (transport and housing) and Krishan Kapoor (industries) – and both struggled hard to put up a defence against the Opposition’s attacks.

The House witnessed angry tirades by Congress MLAs G S Bali and Mukesh Agnihotri after they alleged that the ministers were not giving all facts on issues of HIMUDA land purchase through middlemen and favours to a cement company.

While Mohinder Singh washed off his hands from the HIMUDA land purchase scam raised by Congress MLA G S Bali,who also heads the Congress chargesheet committee on corruption,Krishan Kapoor said the government had imposed a penalty of Rs 4.10 crore on the Jaypee group for alleged land violations at its mega cement plant near Arki in Solan district. He said action has also been proposed against certain officials,who overlooked the violations committed by the cement giant.

“You have bailed out the cement company for Rs 1,500 crores by imposing a nominal penalty of Rs 5 crore. Why did not you register a criminal case and take penal action? This shows how the BJP government has chosen to extend direct financial benefits to the Jaypee group,” alleged Mukesh Agnihotri even as Kapoor said that the total money recovered from the company was Rs 22.32 crore including the lease amount.

Bali made a direct attack against the housing minister and declared that those involved in the HIMUDA land purchase will soon be facing a CBI inquiry. “This is an issue already with the chargesheet committee of the Congress. No one will escape as this was a foolproof case,” he added.

Mohinder Singh on his part claimed that the land deal was fully transparent and two different committees,one of these headed by HIMUDA vice-chairman,was involved in the process. “What role I have as a minister? I was never a part of the process,” he said.

Agnihotri raised the issue of bending norms to award a free school uniform supply contract to a favoured trader. “Initially,there was a condition that only leading manufactures having a turnover of Rs 50 crore can apply but the conditions were relaxed overnight to pick a trader with a turnover of only Rs 37 crore,” he said.