With Anna Hazare upping the ante and masses supporting his agitation against corruption across the nation, the Narendra Modi government on Wednesday appointed a judicial commission to probe the various charges of “corruption” levelled by the Congress party against the State government, including alleged favours shown to certain industrial houses.
The Commission, to be headed by Mr Justice M.B. Shah, retired judge of the Supreme Court, will also go into the special relaxations given by the earlier State governments post-1980, an official spokesman said.
The panel has been asked to complete the probe by March 31, 2012.
Criticising the Modi government for not appointing a Lok Ayukta for the last six years, the Congress had submitted a memorandum to the President, Ms Pratibha Patil, a few months back, requesting a probe into their chargesheet containing 17 points.
The State Cabinet, at its meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, on Wednesday decided to constitute the probe panel under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952. “This has been necessitated to bring the ‘truth' to the people over the allegations made by the Congress.
“The State government is committed to have a transparent inquiry into whatever allegations have been made,” said Mr Jay Narayan Vyas and Mr Saurabh Patel, both Ministers.
Mr Vyas said the State government was seeking the Congress party's cooperation for the last six years in appointing a Lokayukta as it is required, under the Gujarat Lokayukta Act, to have discussions with the Opposition leader. “But the Congress has always shown a negative approach and has not been forthcoming in this crucial matter of appointment as it wanted a man of its choice,” he added.
The Congress allegations against the BJP government included cheaper land given to industries near Gandhinagar, Rs 33,000-crore concession to the Tatas for their Nano plant, land allotment to the Adanis in Mundra, allotment of agriculture university land at Navsari to the Chhatrala Group for a five-star hotel without auction, permission for construction given to the Essar Group in violation of green laws, allotment of land to a company associated with the BJP leader, Mr Venkaiah Naidu, to set up plant in Kutch district, prime land given to Bharat Hotels near Ahmedabad, and to L&T at Hazira without auction.