BHOPAL: The ruling BJP on Friday served a notice on party leader and former minister Kamal Patel, who has launched a vocal campaign against illegal mining in the Narmada river bed, and asked him to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for spoiling the party’s image. Patel has been given a week to explain why he chose to go public instead of airing his views at the party forum. Alleging that illegal mining was rampant in four districts, including in the constituency of the chief minister, the former BJP legislator has moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and accused the administration of corruption.
Patel had approached Harda Collector Shrikant Banoth two weeks ago with a complaint about illegal mining. He accused Banoth and the Harda Superintendent of Police of not acting on his complaint the next day before alleging that the collector had threatened to slap false cases against him.
Banoth externed Patel’s son Sudeep, vice-president of Khirkiya Janpad Panchayat, from five districts three days ago citing more than a dozen cases that are pending against him. The government then transferred Banoth but Patel demanded that three more collectors and senior police officers be shunted out.
The BJP leader said he was yet to receive the notice. “I am a committed BJP worker. Shivraj Singh Chouhanji is my leader, my CM. I will not go against the party line,” he told The Indian Express. He earlier said that he was trying to expose corruption and furthering the cm’s agenda.
