Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday sacked mining minister Gayatri Prajapati and Panchayati Raj minister Rajkishore Singh amid charges of corruption.
Prajapati’s sacking comes two days after the High Court rejected the Samajwadi Party’s plea to call off a CBI inquiry into allegations of illegal mining. Singh has been facing allegations of land grab and corruption.
On July 28, the Allahabad High Court had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe allegations of corruption in the mining department and report back in six weeks.
Last Friday, the high court rejected an application by the state for withdrawal of its order.
The opposition alleged that the sacking of the minister was just eyewash.
Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi said illegal mining is rampant and it is an open secret that the minister was promoting it.
“Now when the HC has taken serious view of the matter and ordered CBI probe, the CM’s decision is mere eyewash. It will not help as people know the reality,” she said.
Prajapati began as Minister of State for Irrigation in February 2013 and was moved to the lucrative berth of mining, directly under Akhilesh.
In July 2013, Akhilesh gave Prajapati independent charge of mining as minister of state, and gave him cabinet rank in January 2014.
Sourced from PTI, Featured image courtesy:puridunia.com
