NEW DELHI: The National Front Government has unearthed a multi-corer fertiliser racket involving a former Agriculture Minister and several senior officials.

Disclosing this here the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Devi Lal, said in an interview that he was aghast at the way the Agriculture Ministry was converted into a “money spinner”. The levers of Government were used to make easy money and almost every file the former Minister dealt with was stinking with corruption. The Ministry had become a den of corruption. “I have now launched a cleansing operation”, Mr. Devi Lal added.

The investigation into the fertiliser scandal, he said, was at an advanced stage. That was why there was nervousness in the Congress (I) camp. One of the former Ministers had already approached the Delhi High Court for obtaining anticipatory bail.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the Income Tax Department was looking into a complaint that a former Union Minister had purchased a big house in a posh Delhi colony for Rs 80 lakh, while officially the deal was shown to be of only Rs 14 lakh. What was revealing was that the wife of the former Minister was found to have paid an advance of Rs 20 lakh in the deal. “How come the house was ultimately purchased for Rs 14 lakh?” Mr. Devi Lal asked, and added that the former Minister would be called upon to explain how he “earned such a huge amount.”

Referring to the National Front’s commitment to the waiving of agricultural loans up to Rs 10,000, Mr. Devi Lal said the matter was being pursued with vigor. Loans amounting to Rs 14,000 corer would have to be waived. The Finance Ministry was working out the details,

He hoped the waiver scheme would become operational before the coming Assembly elections in a number of States. He, however, maintained that habitual defaulters would not be allowed to exploit the scheme, which was meant for the benefit of the farming community. Bank as well as cooperative farm loans would be covered under the scheme.

It was for the first time, Mr. Devi Lal observed, that the ruling party manifesto had been circulated to all Ministries with instructions that the promises made in the document should be the basis of all policies “This is a unique effort. The National Front Government will honor all commitments made by it to the electorate”, he added.

Explaining his Ministry’s decision to remove non-official members from the APC, he said non Officials, who happened to be political nominees, could not argue with experts on the fixation of the prices of agricultural products. It would, therefore, be more useful to have only agricultural experts and scientists on the committee.

The Government would, however, set up a seven-member advisory council to aid the APC and the Planning Commission on issues concerning agriculture. The Council would consist of representatives of farmers’ organizations. His Ministry had asked all Chief Ministers and farmers’ organizations to recommend names for the purpose. Council members would be nominated from among the panel of these names.

Commenting on reports about his dissatisfaction with certain decisions taken by the Prime Minister, Mr. Devi Lal reiterated it was all humbug. “It is a part of the campaign launched by certain vested interests to create a wedge between the Prime Minister and myself. There is absolutely no truth in these reports”.

He dismissed with a shrug the suggestion that he was upset because he was not put on the Caminet Committee on Appointments.

“I don’t even know such a committee exists and whether I am on it or not”, he said laughing. “Don’t believe such canards. Our relations are perfect. Mr. V P Singh is doing very well. There are no problems.”

He recalled that only on Sunday Mr. Singh had gone to Haryana Bhavan to participate in a meeting of the Parliamentary Board of the Janata Dal. Mr. Devi Lal presided over the meeting “which went off smoothly.”

Mr. Devi Lal said his party was keen to have seat adjustments with the BJP and the left parties for the coming Assembly elections. However, the task had been left to the State units. His party was hurt by the Bihar unit of the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections by not honoring the adjustment of seats.

The Bihar unit of the JD was not keen to have any understanding with the BJP in that State, The same was true of Orissa. Maharashtra was ruled out because of the BJP’s alliance with the Shiv Sena.

Admitting the dominating position of the BJP in Himachal and Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Devi Lal said the JD would like to contest the Assembly elections in the two States in collaboration with the BJP. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, he claimed, the JD was more powerful than the BJP, but the latter too had strength. He saw no problem in resolving claims and counterclaims in these two States.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 26, 1990