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SAD demands immediate dismissal of Rana Gurjit for indulging in benaami transactions to acquire sand and gravel mines

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Ramandeep S Bajwa
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SAD demands immediate dismissal of Rana Gurjit for indulging in benaami transactions to acquire sand and gravel mines
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Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday demanded the immediate sacking of Irrigation and Power minister Rana Gurjit Singh for acquiring sand and gravel mines through benaami transactions in the name of his cook and office staff. In a statement here, party MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said the minister, who had openly abused his authority to indulge in naked illegality, should be proceeded against under relevant sections of the Income Tax Act. "The case should also be handed over to the Enforcement Directorate for investigation as someone who was making "paranthas" till last night has outbid 32 other big-wigs to acquire a Rs 26.51 crore mining site". Stating that the party would also raise the issue in parliament, the MP said the Punjab government was also answerable as to why it was letting cooks and employees of Rana Gurjit, who were paid a couple of thousand as salary, to participate and win auctions by submitting bids of Rs 50 crore. "This amounts to encouraging benaami bids through hawala transactions which are even a threat to national security", the MP added. Stating that the entire auction was an eye wash and reminiscent of Congress deceit and doubles standards of saying one thing and doing the other, Mr Chandumajra said it was condemnable that the State apparatus was also used to further the business interests of the Congress minister. "Action should also be taken against officials responsible for these lapses. It should also be ascertained as to what pressure was put on these officials to facilitate these bids". The MP said the new Congress government was to blame for the current state of affairs."It has always projected a holier than thou attitude but never lived up to it. The truth of the matter is that if chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had taken due note of the conflict of interest issues of Rana Gurjit the minister would not have become emboldened enough to acquire sand mines in the name of his employees, including his Nepalese servant". He said earlier the chief minister had failed to take note that Rana Gurjit was producing power as an industrialist and also purchasing the same. "Who will report any illegality in fixing of rates for this process as long as Rana is Power minister", he asked. Mr Chandumajra said this was not all. "As Irrigation minister Rana Gurjit's sugar mills are releasing affluents in drains close to his units causing pollution and loss to crops. "However in this case also no action can be taken against him as he is also the Irrigation minister". Demanding a complete inquiry into the affairs of Rana Gurjit, the MP said the minister was an expert in using his position to benefit himself. "Earlier during the 2002-07 government Rana availed of a one time settlement from the Congress government to clear loans taken from the State undertaking - PSIDC and avoid the same fate as Vijay Mallya. Such persons who have consistently put their own interests before those of the people can never be trusted to protect the interests of Punjabis and should be shown the door immediately or else the SAD will start a mass movement to oust this minister from office", Mr Chandumajra added. — PTC-
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