NEW DELHI, Nov 5: Taking a different line from Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel, party’s chief ministerial nominee Harsh Vardhan has made it clear that he will not order any probe into the CWG scam and other graft charges during Sheila Dikshit’s rule, if BJP comes to power after Assembly polls.
Vardhan said he would invest his energy in implementing his vision of a modern city rather than going into the past and probing the “scams” for which people are set to throw out the “corrupt government”.
“My mind is very clearly set on what I have to do for the future of the city. What will we do with all these scams because if we keep going into all that, ultimately you lose direction. I want to do positive things,” Vardhan told.
Earlier, Goel had announced that all major cases of alleged graft and financial bunglings during Dikshit’s rule, including CWG scam will be probed, if BJP returns to power. He had even said that an Accountability Commission would be appointed to probe various alleged scams.
“I don’t want go into the past. My vision is very clear. I will have to focus on the development of the city, attending to the problems of the people who have been suffering so much. I will focus my energy in applying modern ideas and knowledge to make Delhi a better city,” Vardhan said, making it clear there will be no witch-hunt.
Coming down hard on Dikshit on alleged scams, he mentioned the multi-crore transport scam, financial bunglings in hosting of the CWG and scam in privatisation of power distribution.
“I read each and every line of the Shunglu committee report. It directly or indirectly mentions the role of the government and Chief Minister in particular,” said Vardhan.
The CAG, Shunglu Committee and CVC had found alleged financial irregularities in number of CWG projects implemented by Delhi Government. The Shunglu Committee had found alleged procedural violations even by Dikshit in executing certain projects related to the Games.
The Delhi Government, however, had strongly rejected the findings.
Vardhan also alleged that a “massive scam” had taken place in 2003 when distribution of electricity supply was privatised. He said following a CAG report, the matter was probed by then Public Accounts Committee, headed by Congress MLA SC Vats, which in its report had estimated that the scam was worth around Rs 12,500 crore.
“You see the recent transport scam, who brought that scam out? The officers and bureaucracy in the department. They all said the decisions were taken by the cabinet. But I don’t want to go into the past,” said Vardhan.
Talking about his vision for Delhi, he said modern technologies coupled with transparent systems will form the basis of his government to make the city a better metropolis.
“A good, transparent, honest, people-friendly government will be installed in Delhi followed by another capable government headed by Narendra Modi after a few months.
Vardhan said “scientific ideas” will be adopted for tackling major challenges facing the city like addressing the perennial problem of water-logging, cleaning the Yamuna river and putting in place an efficient water distribution system.
Accusing Dikshit of failing to live up to people’s expectation, he said she has been one of the fortunate Chief Ministers who got 15-long years to serve the people.
“Dikshit has been one of the fortunate CMs of the country who got long 15 years. In five years too you can do a lot of things. I remember as Health Minister I could achieve a lot in five years.
“Look at the pollution in Yamuna, Look at the schools where 15,000 post of teachers are lying vacant. You go to the hospitals, you’ll find that essential drugs are missing in the hospitals,” he said.
Asked about Congress’ criticism that as Health Minister between 1993 and 1998 he could not set up even a single hospital, he said the party was resorting to “selective, deliberate amnesia”.
He said a number of hospitals were set up during his tenure. (PTI)
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