Maharashtra irrigation scam: BJP chief Gadkari hits back at Team Kejriwal's charges

New Delhi, Oct.17 (ANI): Strongly countering the allegations and charges levelled against him on Wednesday by Team Kejriwal during a media conference at the Constitution Club here on Wednesday afternoon, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari said the charges were absolutely baseless and without foundation. Responding to the allegations made by India Against Corruption (IAC) activist Arvind Kejriwal and his associates in the context of an irrigation scam and land grabbing in the state of Maharashtra, Gadkari said: "Charges against me are baseless. These allegations made were a conspiracy hatched by the Congress."

Gadkari, who presented documents as proof of his credibility and his innocence at a press conference here, further said: "I work only for the betterment of the poor. The land was used for the benefit of farmers, I have done nothing wrong."

"I can't respond to such innocous charges , but I am ready for any kind of investigation," said Gadkari.

The Congress Party, however, said that Gadkari should be removed as BJP president and prosecuted for misusing his position for personal gain.

"The BJP used to celebrate when they (IAC) made allegations against us (Congress), now its their time to clarify things," said Congress Party spokesman Rashid Alvi. Team Kejriwal had earlier in the afternoon charged Nitin Gadkari of having a huge business empire in Maharashtra, and alleged that the former and NCP leader Ajit Pawar were hand-in-glove with each other in the irrigation scam.

Kejriwal accused Gadkari of corruption and claimed that his businesses are flourishing at the cost of farmers.

"Nitin Gadkari has a huge business empire in Maharashtra. We want to know if his interests as a businessman are clashing with that of the farmers. Gadkari and Ajit Pawar are working in tandem. Gadkari's business interests clash with Vidharba farmers," Kejriwal told mediapersons at the Constitution Club here.

"Ajit Pawar has diverted irrigation water to power industry. Gadkari was given 100 hectares of farmers' land at behest of Ajit Pawar. The land given to Gadkari in Vibhadra is in violation of government order," he added.

Kejriwal further said that Gadkari's business interest clashed with Vidharba farmers. "100 hectares of farmers land given to Gadkari's Purti Power and Sugar Industries Ltd. Gadkari placed business interests over farmers' well being. Gadkari's business interests also led to farmers' suicides. The land was snatched from farmers and given to Gadkari," said Kejriwal

"Maharashtra irrigation scam is worth Rs. 70 crores. Rs. 70 crores was spent, but nothing was spent on farmers. There is NCP-BJP nexus in irrigation scam in Maharashtra. Gadkari has five power and three sugar firms in Maharashtra," he added. Kejriwal further alleged that Gadkari's firms used all water from the Vadgaon dam. "The dam water was used for irrigating Gadkari's industries, not for irrigation," he added, while emphasizing that no action has been taken on complaint that Gadkari's firms polluted water.

Mumbai-based activist Anjali Damania , who was also present along with other India Against Corruption activists including Prashant Bhushan and Kumar Vishwas, alleged that Gadkari was using his power as BJP chief to further his own business interests. Damania had earlier confirmed that Gadkari would be the next person to be exposed before the public.

Reiterating her allegations on Gadkari, Damania said that Gadkari should have done something when she approached him regarding the Maharashtra irrigation scam. "Gadkari's name cropped up twice earlier. He is linked to the coalgate in some or the other way and then he refused to help expose the irrigation scam (in Maharashtra). Being the President of the opposition party, it is his responsibility to expose the scam," Damania said.

"And why he does not want to do it, we would be bringing this forward. We would be exposing why Nitin Gadkari's doesn't say anything," she added. Damania alleged that the scams are taking place because all the political parties are linked to them.

"The opposition parties do not want to expose it because all of them (all parties) are together. And this is what that we would be exposing in tomorrow's press conference," she said.

India Against Corruption had earlier exposed Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid. (ANI)

Since I had earlier given the views of Arvind Kejriwal and IAC, it is only fair that the opposite view be presented and you may judge for yourself who is correct.

As for myself I would prefer to believe Arvind Kejriwal's.

An enquiry commission by a retired judge should be set up to go into all the three cases , Robert Vadra's real estate dealings, Salman Khursid's NGO and Nitin Gadkari's Maharashtra Irrigation and Coalgate connection.

The enquiry commission set up by the Haryana Chief Minister is not acceptable as it includes the Chief Secretary who has already declared that prima facie nothing wrong has been done.Do you expect a correct report after such a statement?

I don't.