Cong corners BJP on illegal mining
In a bid to corner the BJP, the Congress on Monday drew a parallel between it and the principal Opposition over their respective track record in dealing with the issue of illegal mining. It said, when the Congress-led UPA scrapped the Vedanta mining project in Orissa to protect environment and the interests of tribal inhabitants, the BJP is protecting the Bellary brothers, who are alleged to be involved in illegal mining.
The ruling party also took a dig at the BJP for raising the issue of “misuse” of CBI in both Houses of Parliament, as it claimed that the main Opposition was suffering from “selective amnesia”.
Drawing the comparison between the two parties, AICC general secretary Manish Tewari said, “The UPA government rejected environmental clearance to Vedanta for saving the tribal way of life, environment and preventing illegal mining. The BJP has made the kingpin of illegal mining a minister in Karnataka.”
The spokesperson said that to give a clean chit to the BJP minister in Karnataka, allegedly involved in illegal mining, the Leader of Opposition (Sushma Swaraj) went to Bellary during the Parliament session.
Lambasting the BJP for reacting selectively in accusing the government for misusing the Central investigative agency, Mr Tewari said, “The issue of CBI misuse was raised... It is selective amnesia. I want to ask the BJP, the CBI was right in Haren Pandya case but wrong in the case of Amit Shah. They are now citing Gita Johri but forgetting the father of Haren Pandya, who had raised a finger at Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.” Accusing the main Opposition for having “double standard” on the issue of misuse of CBI, the spokesperson said, RTI activist Amit Jethwa’s father wants his murder case to be handed over to the CBI, as he does not trust the state government.
“Mr Modi has interestingly been described as a modern day Nero by the Supreme Court,” he added.
Mr Tewari said there was a charge against the BJP’s Junagadh MP that he gave a contract for the killing of Jethwa, who had filed a PIL against illegal mining in the Gir forest.
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