Panaji: Opposition Congress on Tuesday dubbed the FIR registered against two former Chief Ministers of the state in connection with a mining scam as "politically motivated".
"Since Parliamentary elections are nearing, BJP can foresee their defeat in both the constituencies (in Goa). This is the reason they are trying to divert attention by filing such politically motivated FIRs," All India Congress Committee Secretary A Chellakumar told PTI here.
Goa`s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) yesterday filed an FIR against former Congress Chief Ministers Digambar Kamat, Pratapsingh Rane and others in connection with the illegal iron ore mining in the state. Besides them, a few officials of Mines and Forest Departments have been named in the scam.
Responding to a question, Chellakumar said he can`t give a clean chit to Kamat and Rane. "How can I give a clean chit to them? I need to sit with them and discuss the issue."
The Congress leader claimed Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who had raised the mining issue in the past, had retracted his statement and said in the Assembly that there was no illegal mining in the State.
When pointed out that the FIR was based on a complaint by Goa Congress spokesman Sudip Tamankar, Chellakumar said the former was not a party member when he filed the plaint.
The Supreme Court has temporarily banned iron ore mining and its export from Goa after illegalities in the sector came to light.
Justice MB Shah Commission of Inquiry has revealed that mining scam in Goa (from 2006 to 2011) runs into thousands of crores.
