Sand mafia rules the roost in MP: Jyotiraditya Scindia

Bhopal, Apr 7: In the wake of the killing of a police constable allegedly by sand mafia in Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday said the state BJP government has failed to rein in such elements and claimed that there is a strong nexus between leaders and sand mafia.

"Sand mafia is ruling the roost in entire Madhya Pradesh and because of them only gharials (crocodiles) have vanished from the Chambal river in the state," Scindia said, when asked about the killing of a constable in Bhind district two days back allegedly by sand mafia. [MP: 'Sand mafia' mows down police constable who tried to stop a dumper]

"We can also say that a strong nexus between leaders and mafia is working in the state and in that scenario how it will be able to rein them," the former Union Minister said.

"Nothing will happen by constituting a SIT. Earlier also in a similar kind of an incident, a young IPS officer had lost his life, but the government failed to take any strict action in that matter," the Lok Sabha MP from Guna said before heading to his constituency. [MP CM orders SIT probe into death of police constable killed by sand mafia in Morena]

"The government has no control over mining mafia despite the fact that the Congress has raised the issue in an effective manner," he said.

Taking serious cognisance of the killing of police constable Dharmendra Chouhan allegedly by sand mafia in Morena district, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had yesterday announced an SIT probe into the incident and said the panel would submit its report within a fortnight.

Chouhan (40), posted at Noorabad police station, was mowed down allegedly by sand mafia when he tried to stop a dumper carrying illegally mined sand from Chambal river near a village in Morena district on Sunday.

In March 2012, IPS officer Narendra Kumar was mowed down by a tractor allegedly owned by sand mafia in Morena district.

A CBI probe was later conducted into the killing and the accused, Manoj Gurjar, was arrested. He was later awarded a 10-year jail term.

On the damages to Rabi crops suffered by farmers due to the recent unseasonal rains and hailstorm, Scindia alleged that the government is not serious about the issue and farmers are not getting adequate compensation for the loss.

Alleging that farmers were committing suicide in the state because of the mounting debt, he said they should get Rs 15,000-20,000 per hectare.

"It seems, these are only the good days for them," he quipped referring to the hype created by BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. Scindia said that the Centre has refused to provide assistance to the farmers hit by natural calamity.

The Central government has asked the state to first spend the money available with it under calamity relief fund. The Congress leader alleged that last year compensation cheques amounting to Rs 100 each were given to affected farmers which are like making fun of their misery.

Scindia asked why Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who used to stage protests in air-conditioned tents during UPA rule, is silent now.

When asked about Congress' position in MP, he said it is being led in a powerful manner by state party unit president Arun Yadav.

"I am a man of field and enjoy working there only," he said. He also claimed that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popular Jandhan Scheme, the people have zero balance in their accounts. Public had no confidence in the BJP, he added.

PTI