BJP demands judicial inquiry into wheat imports

New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) The BJP today demanded a Judicial Inquiry to identify and punish those responsible the import of for 500,000 tonnes of wheat at an exorbitant price causing huge losses to farmers as well as the exchequer.

BJP Parliamentary Party Spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra told newspersons here that the government had rejected the tenders for supplying the required wheat at 263 US dollars in May 2007 on the grounds that the price quoted was very high and it may cause dismay among the farmers as it sought to provide Rs 11 per kg as against the indigenous procurement of Rs 8.5 per kg.

After having rejected the tender, the Government purchased the wheat at 325 dollars and per kg against the procurement price of Rs 18 per kg.

Although an official probe was needed for unearthing the truth, the Government could at least set up a judicial inquiry to reveal the scam and identify and punish the guilty.

UNI