BJP alleges politician-oil mafia nexus, seeks CBI inquiry
January 28th, 2011 - 9:25 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) Accusing the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance in Maharashtra of protecting oil mafias in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the politician-adulterator nexus in the wake of the murder of Nashik district additional collector Yashwant Sonawane.The BJP also demanded that kerosene coupons should be issued to the poor to prevent adulteration of diesel.
Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said here that the gruesome murder of Sonawane was a result of “well-established nexus between the oil mafias and ruling politicians who protect them”.
Accusing Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan of shying away from a CBI enquiry, Javadekar said a police enquiry will not be able to reveal who was protecting the accused Popat Shinde and others.
“A continued adulteration racket cannot sustain without political protection. Last 11 years of the Congress-NCP rule in Maharashtra has protected all types of mafias, may be land or oil,” Javadekar said.
Sonawane, 44, was burnt alive in Panewadi near Manmad in Nashik district Tuesday, when he went to conduct a raid on the local oil mafia for pilferage from kerosene tankers.
Javadekar said an estimated four million tonnes kerosene was diverted every year and was either sold in the black market or mixed easily with diesel.
He said the adulteration business has Rs.25,000 crore annual turnover due to price difference between the public distribution system rates for kerosene and the selling price of diesel.
According to the BJP spokesman, there were thousands of places, particularly closed factories, where tankers often come for mixing kerosene with diesel.
“These facts are known to the administration. But a nexus of oil mafias, corrupt officials, corrupt rulers allow it to continue,” he said.
Javadekar added the subsidy regime in kerosene should be reviewed and kerosene coupons be issued to the poor as this would prevent any scope for adulteration.
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- Jaipal Reddy holds emergency meeting to discuss oil adulteration issue - Jan 27, 2011
- Sonawane killing main accused Shinde dies - Jan 31, 2011
- Sonawane's burning: Maharashtra government employees on strike - Jan 27, 2011
- Six more held for burning alive Malegaon officer (Lead) - Jan 26, 2011
- Maharashtra raids adulterators, widow seeks CBI probe (Night Lead) - Jan 27, 2011
- Main accused in burning of Sonawane dies of injuries - Jan 31, 2011
- After official's death, oil ministry to tackle adulteration (Lead) - Jan 27, 2011
- Sonawane a martyr: Reddy - Jan 27, 2011
- Four nabbed for setting on fire raiding senior officer (Third Lead) - Jan 25, 2011
- Sonawane killing: Maharashtra gazetted officers go on strike - Jan 27, 2011
- Six people sent to police custody in Sonawane murder case - Jan 26, 2011
- Sonawane's widow demands CBI probe; government staff strike work (Lead) - Jan 27, 2011
- Maharashtra CM visits Sonawane family, promises action - Jan 30, 2011
- Fuel price hike politically not feasible: Reddy - Jan 27, 2011
Tags: adulteration, annual turnover, bharatiya janata party, cbi inquiry, cbi probe, central bureau of investigation, chavan, congress ncp, corrupt officials, corrupt rulers, gruesome murder, kerosene, mafias, nationalist congress party, party spokesman, pilferage, popat, public distribution system, shinde, yashwant