Rajasthan Congress chief accuses BJP govt of defaming bureaucracy over mid-day meal probe

Jaipur, Jan 9 (PTI) Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra on Friday accused the BJP-led state government of creating a "false narrative" to malign the bureaucracy and "divert attention" from its own failures.

Reacting to an FIR filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau against several officers in connection with an alleged scam in the Mid-Day Meal scheme during the previous Congress government, Dotasra said the "truth would emerge during the investigation".

"Payments under the scheme were released only after verification by several officers and approval by district collectors. Despite this, the government is now saying a scam has taken place. They never spoke about it in two years and now when they are going to face questions in the upcoming assembly session, they have suddenly floated this narrative," the Rajasthan Congress chief told reporters.

"The truth will emerge in the investigation. We have no problem with a probe. However, by creating sensationalism, they (the government) are weakening the state bureaucracy. Why will officers execute government schemes if they are being unnecessarily defamed for political gains?" he asked.

"This is only about perception-building. Just like the 2G spectrum case, this allegation would also fail to hold up," he added.

Dotasra accused the BJP of indulging in "event management politics" and misusing power to remain in office.

He alleged that the party uses central agencies like the ED, and tries to polarise society during elections to mislead the public.

The ACB recently registered a case against officials of the Rajasthan State Cooperative Consumer Federation Ltd (CONFED) and private firms. The investigation involves alleged irregularities exceeding Rs 2,000 crore in the supply of food items under the Mid-Day Meal scheme during the Covid-19 period.

According to the ACB, tender rules were manipulated and payments were released on inflated bills for supplies that were never delivered. PTI SDA AKY AKY