Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot landed in fresh trouble after he came under scanner over sandstone mining scam. He is accused of changing the mining allotment rules in 2012 that benefited his 37 relatives to get the contracts at throwaway prices.
The allegations reported on Wednesday, the day Gehlot presented a populist budget in the assembly for the financial year 2013-14 targeting the forthcoming assembly polls.
He is accused of allotting sandstone mines near Jodhpur’s ‘Bada Kotecha’ village to his close relatives. Around 19 close relatives of the CM out of 37 of the original 87 applicants had been benefited after the mining norms were altered.
Gehlot’s relatives, including Manjula Gehlot, wife of the CM’s brother Agrasen, Shalini Gehlot, his brother’s daughter-in-law and Veena Kachhawa, wife of his nephew Jaswant Singh were allotted mining licenses at low price.
However, the ruling Congress dismissed the allegations involving CM’s role in the mining license irregularities. Gehlot has ordered a probe into all allegations.
Congress in Centre, which is already under scanner over a series of scams including 2G, CWG, Coalgate, farm loan waiver, it will strive hard to prove itself after allegations into sandstone mining licences irregularities aired on various media channel.
