Prove my role in scam or act against official: Bharat Bhushan Ashu to Navjot Singh Sidhu
Manish Sirhindi, Nidhi Bhardwaj | TNN | Feb 24, 2019, 08:29 IST
Punjab food and supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.PATIALA/LUDHIANA: Punjab food and supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Saturday dared his fellow minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to prove the former's involvement in the Ludhiana CLU (change of land use) scam or initiate action against the official who named him in the inquiry report.
Ashu, who was in Patiala to preside over an event organised by the All India Rice Millers Association, said his name had inadvertently been added to the report prepared by an ADC.
"If there is anything on record against any of the ministers, then Sidhu should immediately take up that matter with chief minister Amarinder Singh or else the official who has included my name in his inquiry report should be penalised," the minister said.
Without ruling out the possibility a 'political conspiracy' to defame him, Ashu said that it was for Sidhu to clarify on the issue.
The CLU scam had rocked the state assembly on Friday after AAP's deputy leader of opposition Sarabjit Kaur raised the issue during the zero hour. It has been alleged that CLU had been granted to a private developer in violation of the norms with the intention to benefit his multi-crore luxury apartment project coming up on Gill Road in Ludhiana.
Strict action against those involved: Navjot Singh Sidhu
Minister Ashu's name cropped up in the probe report prepared by the then ADC (General) Iqbal Singh. In his report, the ADC mentioned that while the project had been registered with the revenue department on January 19, the CLU had been applied on January 17.
Sidhu in a statement has said the case pertaining to plan number 98-C of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation was brought to his notice in July 2018, according to
which it was approved on June 11, 2018, without redressing grievances. Acting promptly, he wrote to the principal secretary to get the matter probed.
Sidhu is maintaining that strict action will be taken against anyone found involved in the scam. Sidhu has also ordered against officers for wilful disobedience of his orders issued on July 7, 2018.
Meanwhile, Ashu has denied any role in the CLU scam.
The inquiry report submitted regarding the Grand Manor project pointed towards the involvement of three IAS officers for issuing the change of land use without verifying things.
Ashu, who was in Patiala to preside over an event organised by the All India Rice Millers Association, said his name had inadvertently been added to the report prepared by an ADC.
"If there is anything on record against any of the ministers, then Sidhu should immediately take up that matter with chief minister Amarinder Singh or else the official who has included my name in his inquiry report should be penalised," the minister said.
Without ruling out the possibility a 'political conspiracy' to defame him, Ashu said that it was for Sidhu to clarify on the issue.
The CLU scam had rocked the state assembly on Friday after AAP's deputy leader of opposition Sarabjit Kaur raised the issue during the zero hour. It has been alleged that CLU had been granted to a private developer in violation of the norms with the intention to benefit his multi-crore luxury apartment project coming up on Gill Road in Ludhiana.
Strict action against those involved: Navjot Singh Sidhu
Minister Ashu's name cropped up in the probe report prepared by the then ADC (General) Iqbal Singh. In his report, the ADC mentioned that while the project had been registered with the revenue department on January 19, the CLU had been applied on January 17.
Sidhu in a statement has said the case pertaining to plan number 98-C of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation was brought to his notice in July 2018, according to
which it was approved on June 11, 2018, without redressing grievances. Acting promptly, he wrote to the principal secretary to get the matter probed.
Sidhu is maintaining that strict action will be taken against anyone found involved in the scam. Sidhu has also ordered against officers for wilful disobedience of his orders issued on July 7, 2018.
Meanwhile, Ashu has denied any role in the CLU scam.
The inquiry report submitted regarding the Grand Manor project pointed towards the involvement of three IAS officers for issuing the change of land use without verifying things.
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