Sack Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot before CBI begins bus scam inquiry: BJP

NEW DELHI:  Buoyed by the Centre’s recommendation for CBI inquiry into procurement of 1,000 low-floor buses in the capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, August 20, 2021, reiterated its demand for removal of Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot and other officials involved in the purchase process.

Delhi BJP president Adesh Kumar Gupta said that Gahlot, along with other officials who are responsible for the ‘scam’, should be sacked before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) begins its probe.

“Being head of the government, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is morally responsible for the scam. He has no right to continue in power. Recommendation for probe by the CBI is not an ordinary thing. There was a probe by the same agency regarding Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam in 2010 as well, but there were no direct charges against any minister. However, Sheila Dikshit’s government was not spared and was ousted in 2013 elections,” Gupta said at a press conference, where leader of opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, MLA Vijender Gupta and BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor were also present.

Govind Mohan, additional secretary (Union Territory), Ministry of Home Affairs, on August 16 informed Delhi chief secretary Vijay Kumar Dev about the recommendations for preliminary enquiry into the bus purchase through a letter. However, the Delhi government refuted the allegations of corruption. It accused the BJP-led central government of using the premier investigation agency to harass it.

“The committee which CM says has given clean chit to the bus purchase was actually set up by Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal on the recommendation of Kejriwal himself. It is heartening to note that our hard work to expose the scam has finally fructified. The CBI will now probe the matter,” said Gupta.