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National

Parliament stalemate a conspiracy: Gehlot

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister looks for new tools to fight corruption; says Raje has no right to speak on the subject

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has termed the impasse in Parliament over the 2G Spectrum issue a “conspiracy” by the Opposition parties. “The demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is a bogey to create an atmosphere against the government. They have done it in the past too in the case of Bofors, Sukhram, Harshad Mehta and Ketan Desai but what has come out of those?” he asked.

Interacting with media persons at the Pink City Press Club here on Monday, on the second anniversary of his Government coming to power in the State, Mr. Gehlot said the intention, more than any desire to find out the truth, was to create an atmosphere against the Government at the Centre in the name of corruption. “JPC was set up in the case of Bofors and in the share market scams involving Harshad Mehta and Ketan Desai, but does anyone remember what came out of all that?” he asked.

“All the fuss is motivated. If the Opposition really wants to find out the truth, that could be done through a probe by the Public Accounts Committee headed by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi”, Mr. Gehlot said. He felt that the increasing instances of corruption in public life would only be controlled if the elections were made less expensive. “This could be done through the State funding of elections,” he asserted. The institution of Lok Ayukt too had not proved very effective, he noted.

‘Initiative to curb corruption'

During the previous Congress Government in the State, he had launched three initiatives to curb corruption including the appointment of Chief Vigilance Commissioner and introduction of the Citizens' Charter for various departments. “Now we propose to introduce a new legislation, ‘the Right to Hearing Act' in the State to ensure that the complaints and grievances of the public are readily attended to,” the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Gehlot, who was on an unusually combative mood, also challenged the moral ground on which his predecessor, Vasundhara Raje, could level charges of corruption against his Government. “Ms. Raje is free to level corruption charges but it should be based on facts. Her Government was soaked in corruption. Everyone knew about the Lalit Modi factor, the way the files were taken to Rambagh Palace Hotel. It was an organized corruption,” he stated.

He said Ms. Raje should now reveal where she had “hidden” Lalit Modi. “Let her tell us where she has hidden him (after the IPL scam)”. The Justice Mathur Commission, appointed after his Government coming to power, was not any “witch-hunting”. “We had taken a stand that an allegation is an allegation till it is proved. The Justice Mathur Commission was also appointed to restore public confidence in Government by showing that the deeds of the Chief Minister and the Ministers were not above probe,” he said.

Coming to specific cases of alleged corruption involving land deals by big business houses, Mr. Gehlot said “be it Kothari or Mohnot, Birla or Bangur or even any Gehlot,” there should be specific charges. “Has the Government gone out of the way to help someone or facilitate them in the deals?” he sought to know.

The Chief Minister said the much talked about Jal Mahal project was cleared during Raje Government's period. “Only the tender was floated during the time of our previous Government. Her Government cleared it. It is also a fact that it took her four years to clear its layout plan,” he noted.

“I will not allow anyone, including my family members to take undue advantage of my Government,” Mr. Gehlot emphasised.

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