Will punish those involved in Goa illegal mining scam: Kejriwal

Shiroda (Goa), Jan 21 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday promised to ensure punishment for those indicted in the Rs 36,000 crore mining scam in Goa if the AAP came to power in the state after the February 4 assembly elections.

The Aam Aadmi Party co-founder was addressing a rally in south Goa's Shiroda constituency.

He said after promising to act against the culprits, the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar instead chose to dump the Justice M.B. Shah Commission report on the scam into the dustbin.

"There was a big mining scam. The Shah Commission probed it. From 2007 to 2012, there was so much illegal mining during the Congress rule. The commission said it was a Rs 36,000 crore scam. Before 2012 elections, Parrikar travelled to many homes with the commission report. He promised that when the BJP government comes to power, the Congressmen involved in the scam will be punished. But after five years, there is no inquiry. When Parrikar's government came to power, the commission report was thrown into the dustbin," Kejriwal said.

The Delhi Chief Minister said that the AAP will restart the crippled mining industry in Goa and added that mining would be conducted in a sustained and honest manner.

"AAP's government will restart mining with honesty. Sustainable mining. Honest mining. Our country cannot run without mining. Goa cannot work without mining. There will be no illegal mining," he said.