MoS (Home) Rijiju's 'scam' row escalates as opposition corners Centre

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday gave notice under rule 267 in Rajya Sabha, for discussion over the alleged involvement of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju in the Arunachal Hydro-electric project. The Opposition is to raise the issue in the Lok Sabha as well. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi defended Rijiju saying that if the issue gets raised in parliament then the opposition will have to face embarrassment. "If opposition raises Kiren Rijiju's issue in Parliament, they will have to face a lot of embarrassment. They will have to face a lot of truth," he said. The Congress Party on Tuesday, after playing an audio tape in a press conference showing conversation between Rijiju and Goboi, a contractor in Arunachal Pradesh, demanded the Union Minister's resignation. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala played the audio tape and maintained that Goboi, a contractor in Arunachal Pradesh, was involved in a scam and had the backing of the minister. "The minister has no right to remain on his post. He must tender his resignation till the probe ends as several facts on hydro power project have been forged," he added claiming the proof of graft against Rijiju. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shrikant Sharma also defended Kiren Rijiju, dubbing the allegation levelled against him with regard to a power project in Arunchal Pradesh as completely baseless."The allegation against Rijiu by the Congress party is baseless and contradictory to the fact. Congress is the champion of scams and corruptions," Sharma said, adding that the Congress should apologise for its audacity. Rijiju, his distant cousin, a contractor in Arunachal Pradesh, Goboi Rijiju, and several other officials of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) have been alleged of corruption in the construction of two dams for one of the biggest hydro-electric projects in Arunachal Pradesh. Their names, including the names of Chairman and Managing Editor of NEEPCO, have been mentioned in a 129-page report submitted by the Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) Chief Vigilance Officer.