Amritsar grain scam: SAD, AAP seek fair inquiry, guilty punished

Chandigarh, August 8

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have sought a probe into the alleged grain scam in Amritsar.

AAP has demanded a time-bound CBI probe into the scam monitored by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Party MLAs Aman Arora and Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said siphoning of grain worth Rs 16-20 crore in Pungrain godowns in Amritsar district alone, couldn’t be carried out by a single inspector or officer, and without the connivance of officials and politicians.

“Therefore, there should be a timely CBI probe into the scam under the supervision of the High Court,” said the leaders. Arora said this was not the first grain scam in the state. He said foodgrain worth crores of rupees had been embezzled in the past but no action was taken.

Arora said the state government through its procurement agencies was storing foodgrain for the central granaries through FCI. “In this way, they bring the state into disrepute at the national level,” he added.

Meanwhile, in Fatehgarh Sahib, senior SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra urged Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to probe the scam and bring to book the big fish, who diverted the grain meant for distribution among the poor of 15 villages of Amritsar district.

He warned the SAD would come on the streets if the government tried to hush up the wheat scam like the illicit distillery and sand scams. He said the Congress government and its president were fooling people. He also criticised the government over the law and order. He said it was unfortunate that promising youths of state are being murdered due to enmity, with the police unable to do anything. — TNS