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Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 7
With the Union Ministry of Home Affairs forwarding Karan Singh Dalal’s complaint against Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu to the state Home Secretary for appropriate action, the Congress MLA today sought the minister’s dismissal for a fair probe into the charges.
Acting on a PMO reference to Dalal’s complaint sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs forwarded it to the Haryana Home Secretary on October 28.
“Being a state subject, the government is requested to take action in the matter as deemed appropriate. The action may please be conveyed directly to the petitioner,” read the letter from the Union Ministry.
“I have already waited for two months, but received no response from the Home Secretary. I wrote to him today that I was ready to provide further documents or clarification, if needed,” Dalal said.
He said it was not possible for an officer of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary to hold a fair inquiry against a Cabinet minister.
Reiterating allegations against the minister of misuse of position for furthering his family’s business interests, Dalal said either Capt Abhimanyu should resign on moral grounds or Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar should sack him.
Dalal alleged that the BJP government in Haryana had deliberately delayed by manipulation the start of Dadam Stone Mines, spread over 55.5 hectare, to ensure that the mine allotted to Sainik Mining and Allied Services, owned by Capt Abhimanyu’s family, could continue earning huge profits.
He alleged that the government’s action had already resulted in a revenue loss of Rs 1,000 crore to the exchequer, besides resulting in loss of employment to hundreds of youth.
“Capt Abhimanyu, in his capacity as Finance and Excise and Taxation Minister, has violated the code of conduct for ministers. The code mentions disclosing the details of assets and liabilities and business interests of ministers, ” Dalal had noted in his letter to the Prime Minister.
“The code of conduct mandates every minister to ensure that members of his family are not engaged in any business activity, including supply of goods to the government or any business which is dependent primarily on grant of licences, permits or quotas from the government, ” Dalal had written.
He alleged that the minister had been using his influence to further his business interests in Haryana and other BJP-ruled states. He alleged that the minister had violated not only the code of conduct as minister, but People’s Representation Act as well by hiding details of his business interests.
Rubbishing Dalal’s allegations, Capt Abhimanyu claimed that Bhupinder Singh Hooda had been using his stooges to level false and frivolous allegations against him as the former Chief Minister was perturbed by inquiries ordered by the BJP government.
Capt Abhimanyu said he had not joined politics after leaving his business to make money, but some persons were in the habit of considering others like themselves. He said the BJP government believed in transparency and holding a probe into all allegations.
“If irregularity worth even a single rupee in public life is proved against me, I will not only quit my ministerial post, but give up politics as well,” he asserted.
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