CHANDIGARH: The Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Partap Singh Bajwa on Saturday accused the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government of hobnobbing with the mining mafia in the state.
Referring to a news report, Bajwa said that Mining Minister Punjab, Chetan Singh Joura Majra on January 18 attended the wedding ceremony of the son of the owner of the Saidpur Stone Crusher. Notably a case under the Mining Act was registered against the same crusher on January 27, 2023.
"Meanwhile, the onus is on the Punjab Mining Minister to tell what compelled him to attend the wedding ceremony of the son of the owner of the crusher that was booked for illegal mining. Why shouldn't people suspect his complicity with the mining mafia when he is overtly mingling with such people?" :Bajwa asked.
Senior Congress Leader Bajwa said that even though the FIR has been registered against the aforementioned stone crusher, the police have failed to take appropriate action against the owner of the crusher. The Mining minister seems to have used his influence hence no action has been taken against the accused.
"In its two-year regime, the AAP government has given the mining portfolio to the third minister. Still, the illegal mining is rampant in the state. The Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Union Defense Ministry and the Punjab Governor, Banwarilal Purohit have already rebuked the Punjab government for illegal mining", Bajwa added.