Will explore all options against Raj govt in mines scam: Pilot

Jaipur: Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee President Sachin Pilot today said that his party will explore all options, including legal, against Rajasthan government in mines scam if there is no action by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in next few days.

“We will wait for PM to return to India. If he does not take action in the matter, we will explore legal and other options against the state government which is responsible for the biggest scam in Rajasthan,” Pilot told reporters here.

“Illegal allotment of 653 mines from October 30, 2014 to January 12, 2015 in Rajasthan from cause a loss of Rs 45,000 crore to the exchequer. We will also approach vigilance and audit authorities in the country to request them to probe the scam,” he said.

Pilot reiterated his demand of a CBI probe in the scam monitored by Supreme Court.

“Allotment of 653 mines in 71 days was done with lightening speed and this is not possible by officers without political patronage. The government has neither denied nor accepted the facts which we brought in public domain three days back. There is no word from the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje or the Mines Minister over our allegations,” Pilot said.

He demanded the Chief Minister Raje’s resignation over the issue.

“The state government violated the Centre’s guidelines in mines allotment. It was not on first-come-first-serve basis….” Pilot said.

“Farmers are facing difficult time in the state but the government is not bothered about the farmers’ situation,” he alleged.

Earlier in the day, Pilot visited kota division and spoke to farmers.

Eight persons, including the senior IAS officer and Principal Secretary of mines department Ashok Singhvi and two other officers of his department, were arrested recently by the ACB in connection with a bribery case involving Rs 2.55 crore.