Samata Party MPs Brahmand Mandal and Raghunath Jha have written to the Prime Minister raising serious allegations against their party colleague and Railway Minister Nitish Kumar. Between April 2 and May 10, individually and together, these MPs have written three letters to Vajpayee demanding inquiry and action against corruption in Railways, ‘‘which is bound to involve Railway Minister Nitish Kumar himself.’’These letters, copies of which are available with The Indian Express, detail four ‘‘scandals’’ allegedly perpetrated by the minister. The MPs have alleged that in the purchase of Hydraulic Re-Railing equipment, Indian companies were bypassed in favour of a costlier and inferior foreign company. The letters described as ‘‘colossal corruption’’ the giving of the contract to German company Lucas in October 2002.The MPs also invited Vajpayee’s attention to corruption in appointments by Railway Recruitment Board, Patna. The third ‘‘scandal’’ the MPs mentioned is about the construction of new railway lines by ‘‘circumventing and violating rules and procedures.’’ They pointed out that the money being spent on a new line between Neora and Shekhpur is under the head of ‘‘material modification’’ for the existing Fatehpur-Islampur line.They said this is a clear bypassing of the planning commission. The MPs also alleged that projects, like the Ganga bridges at Patna and Munger suffering from fund shortages, whereas funds are being diverted.Emphasising they are not against any new projects of ‘‘local or national importance’’, the MPs said: ‘‘It should have been cleared according to the law.’’On the fourth ‘‘scandal’’, the MPs wrote that ‘‘most of the contracts in Bihar in the above-mentioned scandal has gone to known mafia dons in Bihar and UP. Their closeness to Nitish Kumar isn’t a secret anymore.’’Alleging that the Ministry under ‘‘Nitish Kumar is stinking of corruption and mafia domination,’’ the MPs demanded prompt CBI investigation into their allegations. This letter was followed up by another one on May 10, which was signed only by Brahmand Mandal.The letter quoted several news reports linking the minister and high-handed contractors. However, besides acknowledgements, the MPs have not received any assurances from the Prime Minister.
