The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday refused to comment on The Hindu ’s report on its MLA Sangeet Singh Som being a partner in a meat processing firm even as the party has been raising the issue of “pink revolution” or the rise in export of meat from India.
“Sangeet is speaking for himself and the party has decided to let him do that,” said a member of the BJP’s media cell. Mr. Som called The Hindu twice and provided what he termed were details that “exonerated” him from the charge of being a partner in the meat processing unit.
“I became director of the company on 22nd December, 2005, and resigned from the post on 27th March, 2008. For the years of 2008, 2009 and 2010, the factory showed ‘nil’ work or revenue or anything except a few bills to justify spending on petrol and miscellaneous things,” he said. “The work in the factory started in 2011-12 long after I exited,” he said.
The Memorandum of Understanding of the company, however, states very clearly that meat processing would be the first item of business that the firm would pursue.
Surjewala says Som’s defence is hypocritical
BJP MLA Sangeet Som called The Hindu twice and provided details he claimed “exonerated” him of charges that he was a partner in a meat processing firm.
On the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the company, which states very clearly that meat processing would be the first item of business it would pursue, Mr. Som said: “That is just one item in the memorandum, the others pertain to confectionery, bakery products etc.” The explanation, however, does not discount the fact that meat processing was to be the primary activity of the company.
All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of media, Randeep Singh Surjewala, termed Mr. Som’s business interests and his defence as hypocritical. “This just goes to show the hypocrisy behind the BJP’s ideological basis. The Prime Minister had spoken a lot during the general elections about how he wanted to end the ‘pink revolution’, and here is his own MLA furthering the cause of it,” the Mr. Surjewala said.
