Pushp Steel used ArcelorMittal’s name to get PL, ML: Cong

Raipur, May 23, 2013

Congress on Thursday alleged that Pushp Steel used world’s number one steel company ArcelorMittal’s name to obtain mining lease (ML) and prospecting licence (PL). 

“In its letter pad, Pushp Steel simply informed the government that it would establish an automotive industry by investing Rs 380 crore with help of steel giant ArcelorMittal. Strangely, the government did not asked Pushp Steel to produce the letter the latter had received from ArcelorMittal regarding their Chhattisgarh venture,” said state Congress general secretary Bhupesh Baghel and party’s chief spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Trivedi while talking to newsmen at Congress Bhawan.

“Moreover, the government recommended ML and PL for Pushp Steel ignoring other applicants who were waiting for their turn for over five years. According to rules, such applications should be dealt within one year,” they said. 

They charged that the BJP government did not frame norms for allocating iron-ore mines with an ulterior motive the benefit companies like Pushp Steel.

“The government reasons that it cannot cancel Pushp Steel’s application as Centre has given it ML and PL. If this is so then why the government cancelled ML applications of two private companies pertaining to Raodongri and sub-block A of Raoghat block F in the past despite Centre’s approval. It cancelled the two applications because it feared CBI inquiry,” they said.

“Despite the High Court’s (HC) single bench cancelling government’s departmental decision taken in favour of Pushp Steel, the ruling party challenged the verdict but the court’s double bench dismissed its plea again. However, the government did not cancelled Pushp Steel’s ML and PL, an evident indicator that it squandered state’s rich mineral resources to the particular company,” they pointed.

 “The government in its defence says that it cannot cancel ML and PL given to Pushp Steel because Chhattisgarh HC has given stay order into the matter. The government is misleading again. The HC has actually given stay order on revocation of MoU between the government and Pushp Steel, not on cancellation of ML and PL,” they said. 

“The Raman Singh government is providing misleading and false clarifications regarding Pushp Steel whenever the Congress came up with specific facts about the matter. The Congress sniffs Rs 30000 crore-scam into this case and it demands FIR against CM Raman Singh and the then additional chief secretary,” they said.

Baghel informed that he would soon write another letter to the CBI regarding court decisions on Pushp Steel case.