MP cop attack: Digvijaya hurls 'commission' jibe at state govt

A day after a police inspectorwas attacked allegedly by sand mafia in Madhya Pradesh,Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday took aim at theruling BJP government, saying those involved in the illegalactivity feel emboldened because they are ''paying commission''to legislators and ministers.

The BJP has dismissed Singh's allegation, saying itreflected the ''working model and culture of the Congress''.

Inspector Sudhir Singh Kushwaha was injured when thedriver of a tractor carrying illegally excavated sand drovethe vehicle into him near Gwalior city on Friday.

Police had arrested six persons in connection with thethe incident, while Kushwaha was hospitalised.

''The people involved in illegal mining have beengiving a cut (commission) to legislators (of the BJP) andministers. Obviously, these people don't have any fear of lawand they attack the police and administration (officials)every day. Such people cannot accept that they should bestopped despite giving money,'' Singh told reporters.

The Rajya Sabha MP said the illegal mining can bestopped in a day if administration acts seriously.

Hitting back at Singh, Madhya Pradesh BJP secretaryRahul Kothari told PTI that the views of the former reflectthe ''inside culture and working model'' of the Congress.

''Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has relentlesslyworked to eradicate all types of mafias. He had issueddirectives in various meetings to eliminate and uproot alltypes of mafias from the state,'' he said.

Kothari alleged the Congress was perhaps venting outits frustration in view of such directives and subsequentaction taken by local administration against the sand miningmafia.

Meanwhile, Gwalior administration has decided tolaunch a drive against illegal mining by deploying a jointteam of officials of police and mining departments.

''A joint team of the Mining department, the districtadministration and police will take action against thetransport of illegally excavated sand. We are monitoring suchactivities round the clock through posts of the miningdepartment. The mining in the Chambal river is illegal,''Superintendent of Police Amit Sanghi said on Saturday.

Sanghi said the help of police personnel fromadjoining Morena district will also be taken to stop theillegal transport of the excavated sand.