| Ex-MLC Randhawa threatens self-immolation, accuses Jitendra Singh of encouraging corruption | | |  Avinash Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, May 3: In a very high voltage political drama, ex-MLC and senior BJP leader leveled serious corruption charges against MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh during a press conference here on Monday. He threatened self-immolation if UT the administration fails to settle the ‘unjustifiable’ penalty imposed by the Mining Department on some stone crusher owners in Jammu.
After spoiling livelihood of wine traders of Jammu, now the bureaucracy under the patronage of MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh is targeting selective stone crushers in Jammu, BJP leader Vikram Singh Randhawa told reporters.
Randhawa said that he would shoot himself in front of District Mining Officer (DMO), Jammu if the government fails to settle the “unjustifiable” notices sent to the stone crusher owners.
“I will shoot myself or burn myself alive, if the UT Government fails to take action against our harassment by the DMO, Ankur Sachdeva. He is collecting huge money from the stone crushers installed in Jammu district”, said Randhawa, adding that last year he imposed a penalty of Rs 25 lakhs for his legally established crusher. “When we tried to file an undertaking in the Court over, unjustifiable notice issued by the DMO, he served another notice of Rs 75 lakhs. I tried to lodge a complaint with the DMO over the notice. But I was surprised when the DMO told me that he is paying huge share to Dr Jitendra Singh through his tout Bharat Sharma, a BJP worker, and senior bureaucrats and Police officers for facilitating mining,” claimed Randhawa.
He said that when he tried to take up the matter with Dr Jitendra Singh, he did not answer his repeated phone calls. “There is no doubt about the fact that Dr Jitendra Singh was the mastermind behind the new excise policy and now he has launched an attack on livelihood stone crushers owners”, he said.
“Today I realized what the public of Jammu division is facing under misgovernance in J&K. All bureaucrats and Lt Governor are under direct control of the Centre Government. Today I identified actual culprits”, he said, adding that he wishes his appeal reaches to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, soon after Randhwa leveled allegations against Union MoS in PMO and his staff, Dr Jitendra Singh, Sanjeev Sharma, BJP Executive Member and In-charge Parliamentary Affairs said, “He has leveled serious allegations against Dr Singh and taking the cognizance of his remarks, the Minister has decided to file a defamation case of Rs One crore against Randhawa, who is also the president of Stone Crusher Owners Association,” said Sharma.
He said that either he (Randhawa) should apologize publicly for his statement or prove the allegations in 24 hours with proof otherwise, he has to face a defamation suit.
Meanwhile DMO, whose name also surfaced told reporters that he has obeyed the Court orders on whose directions illegal mining was stopped in the River Tawi bed.
Interestingly, Ravinder Raina, J&K BJP president decided to maintain a safe distance from the whole controversy. As per media reports, Raina said that Vikram Randhawa is state secretary of BJP but he has addressed the press conference in the capacity of leader of a Stone Crushers Association in which he has exposed some officers.
Availability of building materials especially sand, bajri, and stones at unaffordable prices is the biggest issue in Jammu province. Poor people are getting such materials at a very high price due to the ban imposed on mining. |
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