Probe wheat import tender cancellation: BJP

Former MP and member of BJP National Executive Kirit Somaya has demanded a CBI probe into the agriculture ministry's decision to cancel the tender for import of wheat and floating of another tender after some days. This cost the country around Rs 550 crore, he alleged.

Addressing a press conference, Somaya said, "In May, the agriculture ministry cancelled the decision to import 1 million tonnes of wheat at $ 263 a tonne. Subsequently, the same ministry announced import of 5 million tonnes of wheat for $300 per tonne. This is going to cost country around Rs 550 crore."

Somaya said after the ministry announced the cancellation of the tender, a large corporate house from the country purchased two million tonnes of wheat at the Chicago Commodity Exchange in future trades. "Was this decision taken for the benefit of the corporate house?" he asked.

He also questioned the logic behind the agriculture ministry's announcement that the country's wheat production would drop by 15.5 million tonnes after the tender to import one million tonnes of wheat was cancelled.

"Was this decision taken to send the prices of wheat in the international market soaring?" he asked.

The BJP, he said, was going to pursue this issue in Parliament during the forthcoming monsoon session.