Cong alleges conflict of interest in Gadkari's PS-run firm

After Jay Shah and Shaurya Doval, Congress on Friday alleged conflict of interest in Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari's private secretary Vaibhav Dange's business dealings.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, at a press conference here, asked Gadkari to explain how he permitted the ministries and public sector undertakings under his control to make financial contribution to firms partly owned by Dange.

Ramesh alleged that Dange owned the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE), which also has Gadkari and Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu as members of the 'National Executive Committee'.

The Congress leader said the IFGE organised conclaves and programmes with PSUs and ministries under Gadkari's control and received financial contributions. He added that the IFGE also received contributions from private persons, corporate entities attending these events that deal directly with ministries controlled by Gadkari.

'Must resign'

"Conflict of interest is another name for corruption," Ramesh said and demanded that Dange resign from his post.

Ramesh said Dange came from the RSS cadre and was the 'Sangathan Mantri' of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in Maharashtra between 1996 and 1999.

"Has Dange not violated the Central Civil Service Conduct Rules, which prohibit a public servant from accepting contributions and associating with raising of any funds or collections or cash," the former union minister asked.

He said Gadkari and Prabhu too had violated the Code of Conduct for union ministers by their association with IFGE.

Ramesh said the Congress had also raised conflict of interest issues with the businesses run by BJP President Amit Shah's son Jay Shah and NGO - India Foundation - run by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's son Shaurya.