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Sachin Pilot, leader of the Congress party, has posed a significant challenge to the party in Rajasthan. He has called for an investigation into alleged corruption cases related to the former BJP government under CM Vasundhara Raje.
Pilot has stressed that the Congress party has been constantly fighting corruption. Despite a party warning from him, on Tuesday he held a one-day hunger protest at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur, which ended around 4pm. Now the question arises as to what exactly are the demands of Sachin Pilot.
Sachin Pilot claimed that during the period between October 30, 2014, and January 12, 2015, the Rajasthan government issued prospecting licenses or mining leases for 653 mines, which covered an area of 1,43,253 bighas (equivalent to 22,085.81 hectares). The estimated auction value of these mines is over Rs 45,000 crore.
During Sachin Pilot's tenure as the state Congress chief, he and Ashok Gehlot, the current Chief Minister of Rajasthan, raised concerns about alleged corruption, including a "Rs 45,000-crore scam" in the allocation of mines by the previous BJP government.
Pilot highlighted that the Congress party had declared "zero tolerance" towards corruption and had promised to take strict actions against it after coming to power. However, he expressed disappointment that the government had kept delaying action over the past few years despite his suggestions.
Rajasthan Mines Mega Allocation Scam
The Rajasthan Mines Mega Allocation Scam refers to the alleged irregularities and corruption in the allocation of mining leases and prospecting licenses during the tenure of the previous BJP government in Rajasthan, led by Vasundhara Raje.
The scam came to light after the Congress party, under the leadership of Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot, accused the BJP government of allotting 653 mines covering an area of 22,085.81 hectares with an estimated auction value of over Rs 45,000 crore, between October 30, 2014, and January 12, 2015, without following proper procedures.
The Congress party alleged that the BJP government had flouted rules and regulations to benefit select private entities and individuals, causing huge losses to the state exchequer. Sachin Pilot, who was the state Congress chief at that time, and other party leaders demanded a high-level investigation into the matter.
After the Congress party came to power in Rajasthan in 2018, the Ashok Gehlot-led government constituted a commission of inquiry, headed by retired Justice MB Shah, to probe the allegations of irregularities and corruption in the allocation of mining leases.
The commission submitted its report in 2020, which reportedly found several irregularities in the allotment process and recommended corrective measures.
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