BJP Fight against Corruption Compromised in Bihar, Uttarakhand

Looking back at the last three years of BJP regime, the government’s leniency towards the corrupt is becoming obvious from the numerous cases reportedly involving its leaders. This becomes crystal clear from a look at the state of corruption in various states ruled by the BJP. Take a look at scams in Bihar and Uttarakhand, as reported in media.

Bihar

The newly formed government by BJP and Janata Dal (United) alliance in Bihar, itself a product of political wheeling dealing saw the sudden surfacing of the Srijan scam under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in August 2016.

Between 2004 and 2014, The Srijan Mahila Sahyog Samiti, an NGO, formed for providing vocational training to women in Bhagalpur district, had received large sums of government funds allegedly fraudulently into their accounts. In connivance with District officials, bankers and politicians in Bhagalpur, the NGO is accused of pilfering government funds from the district administration’s accounts for various schemes. So far, an estimated amount of Rs 880 crore has been embezzled in this scam.

NDA was in power in Bihar during the scam period and several BJP leaders namely, Giriraj Singh, Shahnawaz Hussain, Sushil Kumar Modi were allegedly associated with late Manorama Devi, founder of Srijan. This has given rise to speculation among people over the involvement of BJP leaders in the scam. It was only after RJD and Congress demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that he proposed a CBI probe into this matter which is currently underway.

Also, according to reports, after the outbreak of Srijan scam, other similar illegal transfer of government funds in Bihar came to light. It has been found that Rs 60 lakh belonging to the education department was illegally transferred to the account of a private travel company, Narayan Tour and Travel based in the town of Darbhanga.

Uttarakhand

In the run-up to the Uttarakhand Assembly elections in February, BJP had raised concerns over allegations of irregularities in the widening of NH-74 project. After coming to power, the BJP state government has reportedly slowed down the probe in the scam in which more than Rs 300 crore was allegedly involved.

An initial probe into the matter by D Senthil Pandiyan, Kumaon Commissioner, had found alleged irregularities in the land acquisition for the highway project in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand between 2011 and 2016.

While the new BJP government has transferred Pandian from the probe without stating any particular reason and the central government is refusing a CBI probe into it, Opposition in the state assembly has questioned whether the BJP is trying to protect some prominent people and officials involved in the scam.

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