New Delhi: With Assembly polls in Gujarat
scheduled next year, Congress on Friday opened a new front against
Chief Minister Narendra Modi by petitioning President Pratibha
Patil for a CBI probe into alleged corruption of Rs one lakh
crore during his tenure.
Congress leaders from the state including PCC Chief
Arjun Modhwadia and CLP leader Shaktisinh Gohil along with 40
party MLAs and six MPs presented to the President a memorandum
including what they called as a "documentary proof" of 1000-
page about large scale corruption.
Seeking a probe into it by national agencies -- either
CBI or NIA -- into the matter, the delegation which also
comprised AICC General Secretary Mohan Prakash told Patil that
the office of Lokayukta has been "kept vacant" for past seven
years.
Their contention was that since the Chief Minister was
himself involved, the state government will not be able to
investigate these offences.
"Government of Gujarat and the Chief Minister have
committed corruption in several projects.....Therefore for
appropriate direction and action the aforesaid facts are being
brought to Your Excellency`s notice so as to take appropriate
action including criminal prosecution of all the concerned,"
they told the President.
The leaders alleged that the "Niira Radia culture" in
Gujarat started after Modi became Chief Minister and the total
corruption in his regime is "more than Rs one lakh crore".
Congress has been campaigning against Modi for his
alleged role in the communal riots that took place in the
state after the Godhra incident in 2002. Modi has been at the
helm in Gujarat for nearly a decade.
PTI
