AAP targets Pawar, alleges involvement in sugar, MCA 'scam'

The Mumbai unit of Aam Aadmi Party made allegations today against NCP leader Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar saying that they were involved in two scams. The sugar scam According to AAP, Maharashtra leaders Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar have been running the Maharashtra State Cooperative Banks indirectly that have favoured the rich sugar mill owners by giving them loans beyond the capacity of these banks. (Their complete list of allegations can be found here.) AAP leader Anjali Damania said, “These mills were intentionally mismanaged and forced to shut down all at the behest of the Pawars.” The sugar mills were eligible for funds under the Sugar Cane Development Fund meant to modernise the mills and aid in payment of arrears. “This entire money was siphoned off by Pawars by an amendment that allowed use of this fund for transport subsidy and ethanol projects,” she said. [caption id=“attachment_1145735” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The ‘ghotala mela’ organised by AAP where these allegations were made. Devang Dave/Firstpost.[/caption] AAP leaders also said that 26 mills were sold to the politicians at throwaway prices and a crucial beneficiary was NCP leader and PWD Minister Chaggan Bujhbal’s company Armstrong Infrastructure. “All the political parties are involved in the scam and its not a question of targetting any one particular party,” she said. The party plans to protest against the sale of mills for recovery of debts. They also plan to move the High Court so that the cooperative banks cannot invoke Securatisation Act to recover debts from the already debt-ridden farmers. Mumbai Cricket Association scam AAP leaders alleged that Sharad Pawar, who is also the chairman of Mumbai Cricket Association, has misappropriated funds in the construction of a cricket stadium in the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. According to AAP, MCA was allotted a prime plot of land by MMRDA without competitive bidding. MCA was supposed to build a cricket pitch and indoor sports facilities at a cost of five crores. However, the 2005-06 annual report showed that MCA had given the contract to build a 75-crore stadium to BG Shirke Infrastructure, a construction company allegedly close to the Pawars. This is not the first time that MCA has been in trouble. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal had cancelled the charitable status citing that MCA has been involved in commercial and profit making activities. The party said that it would appeal in the High Court against the allotment of plot to MCA. They would also question how constriction was awarded to a particular company without competitive bidding.