The Congress again refuted BJP government claim that it did not grant any consent to the thermal plant of Jaypee Associates Limited (JAL) and pointed out that it not only granted permission but facilitated regularization of the common land in the name of the company by first transferring it to the Industries Department. Congress General Secretary Kuldeep Singh Rathore said that the approval was given to the company in February 2009. The Revenue Department transferred the land to the Industries Department on November 29, 2008, and the transfer of land to JAL was regularized on February 25, 2012.
Kuldeep Singh Rathore alleged that the BJP government took all steps to make the JAL cement plant operational. He added that the previous Congress government had on July 16, 2007, decided to withdraw all no-objection certificates granted for the thermal plant. However, the Dhumal government on November 10, 2008, reversed it.
He asked the BJP to explain the reasons and considerations for taking such a mala fide decision to benefit the company. JAL submitted a proposal for a 60 MW thermal plant on the very day the government reversed the policy decision to allow thermal plants. Obviously, the company knew about the decision well in advance and readily submitted the proposal, providing ample proof of its nexus with the government.
He also criticised the statement of BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutt that the Centre could order a CBI probe into the matter, as demanded by the Congress, Rathore said BJP leaders must be well aware that the agency could be entrusted the inquiry only on the request of the state government. If the government had not done anything wrong, it should not shy away from a CBI probe to bring out the truth.
