"Is it a crime to write letter? It's my duty to help people and it cannot be called as corruption. I don't understand why people are taking it seriously. Do not waste your time in this issue," he told News Nation.
Under attack over the alleged power projects scam in Arunachal Pradesh, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday rejected allegations of wrongdoing, saying people should not waste their time on it and that it should not be taken seriously.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rijiju said those who have “planted” the story against him “will be beaten up with shoes”.
“Jo news plant kar rahe hain wo hamare yehan ayyenge to joota khayenge (Those who planted the story will be beaten up with shoes when they will come to our area),” the Tawang MP told reporters reacting to media reports that he had written a letter to Power Minister Piyush Goyal seeking early clearance of bills related to a hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh.
“I have written the letter to the Power Minister after I received presentations from some people in my constituency in Arunachal West regarding pending bills. I have done no wrong and there is no corruption,” Rijiju said.
Congress has alleged that M Rijiju's role in "450-crore scam"in Arunachal is under cloud and has demanded his removal till independent probe is conducted.
The party also said that PM Narendra Modi’s claim of transparency is now under question and that people are watching what action he takes in 'Arunachal scam'.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also demanded Rijiju’s resignation.
The reports claimed that Rijiju, his cousin, a contractor in Arunachal Pradesh, Goboi Rijiju, and several top officials of the state-run NEEPCO, including its Chairman and Managing Director, have been named in a 129-page report by the PSU’s Chief Vigilance Officer Satish Verma that alleges corruption in construction of two dams for 600 MW Kameng Hydro Electric Project, one of the biggest hydro-electric projects in Arunachal Pradesh.
Verma’s report was sent to the CBI, CVC and the Ministry of Power in July this year. It alleges an “elaborate conspiracy” involving contractors, NEEPCO officials and the West Kameng district administration to defraud NEEPCO and the government of funds that “may extend up to Rs 450 crore”.
The CBI has made two “surprise checks” but no FIR has been registered yet, reports said.
Chief Vigilance Officer Satish Verma, a Gujarat IPS officer, was pulled up by NEEPCO for “unauthorised absence,” and transferred to the CRPF in Tripura soon after his report.
Verma had said Ishrat’s killing was a “premeditated murder”.