Will quit politics if charge proved against me, says Forest Minister

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 23

Rubbishing the accusations of issuing a threat to Gujjars and using abusive language against them, Minister for Forests Choudhary Lal Singh today said he was open to any investigation and would quit politics if the charge against him was proved.

He sought an investigation against the complainants, who he alleged had been instigated by some non-Gujjar persons under a planned political conspiracy to dislodge him from the ministry as he had tightened the noose to stop timber smuggling and illegal encroachment on forest land.

“I am ready to face any investigation and will not only resign as minister, but quit politics as well if the charge against me is proved. At the same time, a probe should be conducted into the credentials of those who levelled baseless and unfounded accusations against me,” Lal Singh said.

He said he never threatened Gujjars when they visited his residence for getting permission to transport wood loaded in trucks from the forest area.

“There is no question of abusing or misbehaving with Gujjars during their visit to my residence. It is a well-planned conspiracy hatched against me by some vested interests who are smuggling forest wood and making money from it,” he said.

On May 19, a delegation of Gujjars lodged a written complaint at the Gandhi Nagar police station, seeking the registration of an FIR against the minister for his “communal and threatening” remarks against Gujjars, who alleged that he had threatened them by reminding them of the 1947 massacre in the Jammu region.

The minister said, “They had come to seek my intervention to get their truckloads of wood released. On investigation, it came into my notice that permission sought by Gujjars was for loading of more trucks by felling green trees.”

He added, “I refused to oblige them. While refusing permission, what I said was that the temperature in Jammu that day was 47 degree Celsius due to reckless felling of green trees and this would not be tolerated anymore. My statement has been given a twist for political motives.”

He said he had always talked about the welfare of Gujjar and Bakerwal communities in Jammu and Kashmir and there was no question of issuing a threat or making communal remarks.