Digvijaya Singh Clarifies Stance on Madhavrao Scindia
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Synopsis
Former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh clarified he has no issues with late Union minister Madhavrao Scindia, amidst ongoing tensions with Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The dispute arises from allegations concerning black money linked to ex-RTO constable Saurabh Sharma, leading to significant asset recoveries.
Key Takeaways
- Digvijaya Singh denies disputes with Madhavrao Scindia.
- Allegations of black money linked to Saurabh Sharma.
- Jyotiraditya Scindia defends his family's honor.
- Significant asset recoveries made by authorities.
- Political tensions between Congress and Scindia family persist.
Bhopal, Jan 13 (NationPress) A continuing clash between former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia ignited anew with remarks made on Monday, following the recovery of illicit funds linked to ex-RTO constable Saurabh Sharma. Digvijaya Singh stated that he harbors no grievances against Jyotiraditya's father, the late Union Minister Madhavrao Scindia.
He emphasized that he and former CM Arjun Singh were instrumental in bringing Madhavrao Scindia into the Congress party.
"It was myself and Arjun Singh who introduced Madhavrao Scindia to Indira Gandhi (former PM) and Sanjay Gandhi during 1979-1980, leading to his induction into the Congress. There has never been a discord between myself and Madhavrao Scindia," Singh asserted, advising those who speak out of turn to familiarize themselves with this history.
This statement was made in response to Jyotiraditya's claims that Digvijaya has consistently targeted the Scindia family. Scindia remarked, "He (Digvijaya Singh) has always aimed at my family. Previously, he went after my father, and now it’s my turn. However, I have always held great respect for Raja Sahab." This occurred during a recent trip to Gwalior.
Jyotiraditya reacted to Digvijaya's accusations that during the Congress regime under Kamal Nath, Scindia had endorsed the allocation of the transport ministry to his ally Govind Singh Rajput, who is currently serving in Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's cabinet.
Digvijaya also claimed that Scindia pressured Shivraj Singh Chouhan's administration to dismantle the transport department’s transfer board. However, Scindia dismissed Singh's allegations as ‘groundless’.
This controversy gained traction after the discovery of black money associated with Saurabh Sharma during a Lokayukta raid.
Singh further alleged that Saurabh Sharma, who was discovered with substantial amounts of cash and gold, was under the protection of a transport minister and was implicated in a money laundering scheme reaching high levels within the department.
He noted that the scandal involved unlawful collections from check posts and transfers facilitated by officials connected to Scindia.
Importantly, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax Department, and the Special Establishment Police (SEP) of state Lokayukt executed multiple searches at various premises owned by Sharma and his associates across locations, including Bhopal and Gwalior.
The initial recovery occurred during a Lokayukta raid last week, revealing that Sharma possessed movable assets valued at Rs 7.98 crore, comprising Rs 2.87 crore in cash and 235 kilograms of silver.
Additionally, numerous real estate investment papers and a cash-counting machine were confiscated from properties linked to Sharma.
Subsequently, the Income Tax Department conducted a raid, unearthing 52 kilograms of gold bars worth Rs 40 crore and over Rs 11 crore in cash from an abandoned SUV in Bhopal. Nonetheless, as of now, the agencies have not apprehended Sharma.
