Shadow of corruption looming large over
BJP in Madhya Pradesh

With just a year to go for Assembly elections, the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh is finding itself on the defensive over alleged corruption charges against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan

By N D Sharma

Madhya Pradesh Congress party chief Jamuna Devi's petition to Lokayukta against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has created a turmoil in the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. Veteran BJP leader and former chief minister, Sunderlal Patwa, invited Jamuna Devi for lunch at his house in a bid to resolve the crisis. Patwa later told the media he cautioned Devi that a complainant was liable to be punished if his or her complaint to Lokayukta turned out to be false.

Jamuna Devi was first elected MLA in 1952, several years before Patwa entered electoral politics. She has been MLA, MP, minister and deputy chief minister and is now Leader of Opposition in the state assembly. Moreover, she had made it clear at the time of filing the petition that it was overseen and whetted by Supreme Court lawyer and former Advocate-General of Madhya
Pradesh, Vivek Tankha.

Former Congress chief minister Digvijay Singh, who was in Bhopal on that day, claimed before the media that Patwa had passed on some more information regarding corruption cases of Chauhan to Jamuna Devi as he was himself keen to replace Chauhan as chief minister. Whatever may be the merit of Digvijay's claim, Patwa has for some time been dropping hints that he was prepared to shoulder the responsibilities of chief minister for the third time if asked by the party. And Patwa is not the only BJP leader who thinks Chauhan may find it difficult to come out of the corruption case that Jamuna Devi has made out against him and his wife Sadhna Singh.

Devi's well-documented petition claims Chauhan started doling out mining leases in Rewa district, in flagrant violation of the law, to JP Associates which has a cement factory in the district and the JP Group financed four heavy vehicles, got them registered in the name of Chauhan's wife Sadhna Singh and took those vehicles from her on lease. The dates of these transactions are significant.
Chauhan became chief minister on November 29, 2005. On December 12, his government issued an order allotting to JP Associates prospecting license of mining on 470.941 hectare of land in Naobasta, Kachur, Attrauli, Gadhwaah, Chiggawar and Jonahi villages in Rewa district. Not only that, the government also allotted 25.842 hectare of private land belonging to farmers of the area to JP Associates though no farm land can be allotted for mining without the consent of the farmers. When the farmers protested the police fired at them.

In May 2006, four heavy vehicles worth about Rs 2 crores were registered in the name of Sadhna Singh. According to the petition, these vehicles were acquired by Sadhna "through JP Associates and for JP Associates". The documents downloaded from the official site of the MP Transport Department "E-Sewa" gives the registration numbers of the four vehicles with owner's name as "Smt Sadhna Singh"; Father's/Husband's name as "Shri S.R. Singh"; and the address as "Jaypee Nagar Plant, Rewa". The petition claims that on "actual verification", no person by the name of Smt Sadhna Singh was found staying at the address given in the registration document.

Under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, one has to furnish a proof of residence for registration of a vehicle. How did the RTO in Rewa register the four heavy vehicles in the name of Sadhna Singh? The RTO committed another criminal act, according to Jamuna Devi's petition, by tampering with the official records of the Transport Department "with a view to protecting the wife of the chief minister". When the matter came to light, Sadhna Singh transferred the four vehicles to JP Associates as shown by the registration documents. Interestingly, the guarantee for the purchase of the four vehicles was also given by JP Associates.

The affidavit that Chauhan had filed before the Sehore Collector (who was Returning Officer for Budhni Assembly by-election) in April 2006 does not mention that he or his wife were in possession of these vehicles nor could Sadhna Singh have been able to purchase the four vehicles with the income disclosed in the affidavit. It can be safely presumed, the petition says, that Chauhan and his family acquired disproportionate income and assets only after becoming chief minister. (Chauhan was an MP from Vidisha when he became chief minister and was elected to the Assembly in the Budhni by-election).

Jamuna Devi claims JP Associates enjoys a special relationship with the chief minister who has illegally leased to JP Associates coalmines situated at Sidhi and there is a recommendation for leasing out two more mines at Dongrikala and Morga-1. A representative of JP Associates was in the delegation Chauhan took to the United Kingdom and some other countries during 2006-2007. JP Associates director Sunny Gaur has been appointed a member of the Bharat Bhavan Trust though he has no cultural background.

Besides, the state government has, at the instance of the chief minister, illegally granted prospective mining lease to JP Associates at the following projects: Hanoti Limestone Mining Project, Satna; New Captive Budgawna Mines, Sidhi; Beladev Mhow Daldal Limestone, Satna; Dendra Hot Dev Mhow Daldal Limestone Mining; New Basta Limestone Mining, Rewa; J.P. Limestone Project, Rewa; Maggona Limestone Mining Project, Sidhi; and Amilia Coal Mining Project, Sidhi.
The Mines and Minerals Secretary, "acting in a malafide and illegal manner", revoked by his order of February 15, 2007 the government's decision of June 22, 1995 granting prospecting license of mining to M/S Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd, Delhi over and area of1434.853 hectare in Satna district and granted on March 23 the prospecting license of mining to JP Associates. It was done at the instance of the chief minister, the petition claims.

A committee of three ministers has been constituted by the chief minister for acquiring private land in Nigri village in Sidhi district for the proposed thermal power project of JP Associates. The private land of farmers, the petition says, is being acquired without following the prescribed legal procedure.

"The position, power and prestige of the office of chief minister is being freely used to promote the business interests (of JP Associates) to the detriment of (the interests of) the State and its people," it adds.

Irrespective of Jamuna Devi's petition against Chauhan, the rampant corruption prevailing in the government has started worrying the ruling party leaders. A cabinet colleague of Chauhan created a flutter at a meeting of BJP leaders by referring to corruption in party ranks. A joint meeting of senior party leaders and cabinet members was held at the state BJP headquarters in early October to review the performance of the government, apparently in view of the Assembly elections due next year. Agriculture Minister Gopal Bhargava was said at the meeting that those party leaders who could hardly afford two-wheelers started driving luxury cars soon after being elected MLAs and MPs. Corruption in the party ranks had become so rampant that the people had started asking embarrassing questions, Bhargava added.

Instead of taking note of Bhargava's concern, both the chief minister and the state BJP president, Narendra Singh Tomar, frowned at the insolent minister and remarked that corruption was not on the day's agenda.