Mumbai: Opposition BJP on Monday demanded that former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare be booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act and an SIT probe be launched against them for their alleged role in the irrigation scam.
"There is enough proof to show that Tatkare and his predecessor Ajit Pawar were involved in the irregularities. The two NCP strongmen (should) be booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act and an inquiry be set up against them," Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse said in a press conference here.
Khadse demanded that a Special Investigating Team (SIT), comprising experts in the field of irrigation, under direct control and monitoring of the Governor, be constituted to probe the irregularities. Accusing Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan of buckling under NCP pressure to save "somebody", Khadse said the Opposition will question Chavan on his stand regarding corruption in Irrigation department on the floor of House in the upcoming Winter session.
Khadse said when the opposition highlighted the irregularities in 22 tenders of the Lower Penganga Irrigation Project with "proof", the chief minister had cancelled the tenders. He alleged that the White Paper on Irrigation released by the Water Resources Ministry recently was grossly misleading.
"It is the government document (Economic survey) which said that that the irrigation capacity increased by just 0.01 per cent in ten years despite spending Rs 70,000 crore. But, the White Paper says something else. Actually, the figure of Rs 42,000 crore mentioned in the white paper is the planned expenditure on irrigation while the amount of Rs 70,000 crore comprises both planned and non plan expenditure," Khadse said.
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