Opposition rejects clean chit to Dharamsot in scholarship scam

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 3

The SAD and AAP today rejected a high-level probe committee’s clean chit to Social Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot in the multi-crore SC Post-Matric Scholarship Scam in the state.

Addressing a press conference here, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should tell the Dalit community in Punjab whether he agreed with the inquiry report.

SAD hits out at union government

For the first time, SAD leaders on Saturday blamed the BJP-led Central Government for failing to continue the SC Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme. SAD leader Pawan Tinu said, “We have always been blaming the Congress government in the state, but the BJP is also responsible for spoiling the careers of over two lakh Dalit students who have no money to continue their college education.”

“Rahul should also tell if he agrees with the Chief Minister’s decision to give an ‘open licence’ to ministers to loot Central funds sent for disbursal among SC students,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Jalandhar, SAD MLA Pawan Tinu said the party was not ready to accept the new inquiry report. “With the minister continuing on the post, a fair inquiry was not possible. No probe has been conducted into the role of ex-IAS officer and Phagwara Congress MLA BS Dhaliwal, who served in the Social Welfare Department before joining politics,” Tinu said.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema said the Rs 55-crore scam was exposed by an Additional Chief Secretary who pointed the finger at Dharamsot. He said instead of cracking a whip on the tainted minister, the Capt Amarinder Singh government gave a clean chit to him.

Cheema said, “We reject the fake and frivolous clean chit given to the minister by the so-called investigation team. This is a double whammy for millions of meritorious Dalit and poor students across the state, who had been debarred from getting higher education. We will lay siege to the Chief Minister’s farmhouse to stage our protest against the decision.”