Gujarat govt refutes Arvind Kejriwal’s charges

The Gujarat government today refuted Aam Admi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal‘s charge that it favoured certain industrial groups in the state.

“The charges levelled by Kejriwal are baseless and aimed at maligning the reputation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi,” government spokesperson and Minister of State for Energy, Saurabh Patel said.

“The charge that the state government favoured Adani group while purchasing power is not true. Power was purchased from the Adani Group after inviting bids and Adani was the lowest bidder,” Patel said.

Regarding the land given to the Adanis, Patel said, “the government has not given any farm land to Adanis. The land which was given in Kutch was wasteland. The charge that the land was given at Re 1 is false as it was given on a lease for 30 years on BOT basis and every year the state government gets rent on it”.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had alleged in New Delhi that Modi favoured Gujarat-based business house Adani Group on power purchase and land allotment besides giving gas fields worth Rs 20,000 crore to private companies for “free”.

On the gas deal with a foreign firm GeoGlobal Resourcing, Patel said, “GSPC (Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation) had informed the Director General, Hydrocarbons in 2010 that the deal with GeoGlobal was cancelled and they did not have 10 per cent participating interest anymore in the oil exploration of the Krishna Godavari Basin Deendayal Block.”

“As there was no commercial production so far from KG-OSN-2001/3 gas block, there was no question of giving any benefits to that company,” Patel said.

About allotment of plots to MPs and MLAs in Gandhinagar, Patel said, “the policy of allotment of plots to MPs and MLAs was initiated by the earlier Congress governments and it was discontinued by the Modi government five years back.”

Kejriwal takes on Modi, says Gujarat gas deal bigger than 2G scam

Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday came out with another expose, targeting Gujarat chief Minister Narendra Modi over irregularities in the Gujarat gas deal.

According to Tehelka reports it is alleged that a stake worth Rs 20,000 crore was given away to GeoGlobal Resources at negligible rates in Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation‘s gas exploration project in the KG Basin.

“There was no bidding. What was the selection process for these two companies?” Kejriwal asked.

He stressed on the fact that this scam is even bigger than the colossal 2G scam.

“We demand an investigation… This scam is bigger than the 2G scam,” he said.

He alleged that this scam was engineered by BJP- Congress nexus 10% stake of such a major project was given away in gratis.

Kejriwal’s attack on Modi gains relevance as it may show us a flip side to the credible model of development that Modi is associated with and it may also affect his chances as a prospective PM candidate.

BJP Will Save Vadra, Congress Gadkari: Kejriwal

Activist Arvind Kejriwal today demanded that BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and Robert Vadra declare all their business interests and where all they own land in the country.

He said the probe against Gadkari by IT Department was an “eye-wash” as Congress and BJP were “hand in glove” trying to save each other.

“Vadra should publicise where all he owns land. What are his business interests? When did he buy this land and at what cost? Gadkari and Vadra should publicise all their business interests in the country and abroad,” he said.

On the Income Tax department launching a probe to trace the source of funding of various firms that invested in Gadkari’s company Purti Power and Sugar Limited, he said government has said that the IT Department would submit a report in a month.

“IT Act has no provision for such a probe. Is the government fooling people. Under the IT Act, you can raid under Section 132, or survey under Section 133 A or scrutinise under Section 143. What is the Government doing?

“Will IT find anything if it conducts raids or surveys? Raids are conducted in secrecy. This is how CBI conducts raids after grand announcements. And what happened to Robert Vadra? Does any agency have guts to even summon him or investigate him. He is so right. It’s a banana republic,” he said.

He also asked if the IT Department is probing Gadkari, why was it not investigating Vadra. “Are all these probes merely an eyewash? Time will tell. It would further prove that Congress and BJP are hand in glove,” he said.

He said media reports claimed that Haryana officers gave clean chit to Vadra.

“That was expected. Country would be surprised if it were otherwise. In Haryana, all good officers are shunted out. Those in key positions crawl when asked to bend. Now Congres will protect Gadkari and BJP will protect Vadra,” he said.

Arvind Kejriwal, supporters detained near PM residence

India Against Corruption (IAC) activist Arvind Kejriwal, who was to lead a group of 300-odd physically challenged people to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh‘s residence, was detained by the police near the 7, Racecourse Road, in the capital on Friday.

Apparently, the police rounded up Kejriwal and his supporters after warning them to clear the road.

While Kejriwal had said he wanted to submit a letter to the prime minister that contained the details of his allegations against union law minister Salman Khurshid, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh refused to meet him, saying he had prior appointments.

However, reacting to their being stalled by the security, Kejriwal said, “It is utter shame that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should seek a security cover comprising thousands of securitymen to keep a bunch of physically challenged people at bay. This is not democracy.”

Kejriwal, who has demanded the resignation of Union law minister Salman Khurshid over the siphoning of funds of a charitable NGO that his wife Louise runs, is now staging a sit-in at the spot where he was stopped by the securitymen. “Earlier, we were seeking the PM for a time when he could meet us, but now we will wait till the time the PM speaks to the people of this country.”

Refusing to budge, Kejriwal said, “This is not democracy. The government is supposed to serve us and not lord over us.”

Demanding that a police complaint be filed immediately against Salman Khurshid and his wife, Kejriwal said, “Salman Khurshid should be removed from the cabinet till proven innocent. Both of them are influential people, they can tamper with evidence and pressure witnesses. They should be arrested immediately.”

“Let’s make this place another Tahrir Square (the focus of anti-regime protests in Egypt last year). People should take leave (from work) and join the protest. Now it’s a fight to the finish. The prime minister will have to meet us and accept our demands. Khurshid has to resign. He should be arrested,” he said.

Khurshid is planning to sue social activist-turned-politician Kejriwal for his allegations.