BJP MLA raises corruption issue

DEHRADUN: Lohaghat BJP MLA Puran Singh Fartyal on Wednesday accused the Trivendra Singh Rawat-led government of favouring a contractor and stalling development works in his constituency. During the assembly session, Fartyal alleged that he “would not succumb under pressure” being enforced by his own government and would raise the issue before party's national chief JP Nadda.
This is not the first instance when Fartyal has raised this issue.Previously, he had written letters in this regard to JP Nadda and CM Trivendra Singh Rawat. He had also met BJP's state chief Bansidhar Bhagat to discuss the issue. After coming out of the assembly, Fartyal said, “Under the rule 58 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly, I brought a work adjournment motion for a debate on the key issue.”
He added that the Tanakpur-Jauljibi road (a project estimated at Rs 123 crore) near the Nepal border has been in the thick of controversy for the last three years. “The state government had also ordered a probe. In the probe, several wrongdoings were found and it came to fore that the contractor got the tender using forged documents,” Fartyal said.
He pointed out that action was taken against 20-odd officials, who were either suspended or named in the FIR. Thereafter, the tender was scrapped and matter went into arbitration. “Though the tender was taken on forged documents, the arbitration was in favour of the contractor and rather than making an appeal against the decision, the project was once again awarded to the same contractor,” the MLA added.
“Now, instead of blacklisting the contractor, the state government and officials have joined hands with him. This is definitely tarnishing the image of the party, which claims to have zero tolerance for corruption,” said Fartyal, who is a two-time MLA from Lohaghat.
He added that he suspects “there has been a fraud of at least Rs 20 crore to Rs 30 crore in the project.” “The cost the works have been increased manifold and all this has been done to benefit the contractor,” he added.
The BJP legislator claimed that he was being “targeted” by his own government for raising voice against the contractor. “They are putting pressure on me but these tactics will not work. A legislator can raise questions in assembly but here too, I have been denied an opportunity. However, I will again raise this question in the next session and continue to do so till justice is delivered. I want a probe into the matter by a Special Investigation Team.”
When asked about the issue, parliamentary affairs minister Madan Kaushik — who is also the state government spokesperson — said, “Fartyal’s request for a debate in the matter was turned down by the House as the case is still sub-judice.”
Earlier, the state unit had served a notice to Fartyal for his statement and sought an explanation from him. Recently, Fartyal had appeared before the state leadership in Dehradun and recorded his statement.