In a recent development, Congress has launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central government, alleging a staggering Rs 13,000 crore scam within the Jal Jeevan Mission in Jammu and Kashmir. The party also highlighted the alleged victimization of Ashok Kumar Parmar, a Dalit IAS officer who courageously exposed the scandal, while those implicated in the wrongdoing remain shielded.
Speaking at a press conference held at the party's headquarters, Pawan Khera, a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and chairman of the media and publicity department, criticized the government's penchant for what he termed "event management" to divert attention from pressing issues. He pointed out that during the G20 Summit in Delhi, a complaint emerged from Jammu and Kashmir, implicating Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha in the massive Rs 13,000 crore Jal Jeevan Mission scam, ANI reported.
Khera emphasized that Ashok Kumar Parmar, the whistleblower, had taken his concerns to the SC/ST Commission and the Ministry of Home, yet no discernible action had been taken to address the matter. He further accused the Modi government's top officials, including Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and J&K's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, of promoting corrupt officers mentioned in Parmar's allegations while punishing Parmar himself with a demotion from Principal Secretary of the Jal Shakti Department to ARI and Trainings Department. Khera pointed out that Parmar's long-standing 30-year service should have entitled him to the position of Financial Commissioner.
Highlighting the discrepancy in treatment, Khera underscored that Parmar had been transferred four times, whereas officers implicated in the scam were seemingly being protected.
Moreover, Khera brought up another scandal involving former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik, alleging financial dealings between Sanjay Rai Sherpuria, a controversial figure within the BJP-RSS ecosystem, and the current Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Concluding his address, Khera questioned the Prime Minister and the government, demanding answers regarding the alleged harassment of a Dalit IAS officer who exposed a mammoth Rs 13,000 crore scam. He sought clarity on why officers accused of embezzlement and financial wrongdoing were promoted and whether they acted under orders from higher authorities. Khera also raised concerns about the absence of a CBI inquiry despite complaints lodged with the Union Home Ministry, raising questions about who the government was safeguarding in this alleged Rs 13,000 crore scandal.
