Allegations against me 'baseless': Bapat on pulses stock scam

Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Girish Bapat termed as "baseless" the NCP's allegations of a scam related to seized stocks of pulses in the state and threatened take legal action against him.
"NCP leader and former MLA Nawab Malik, had made the allegation at a press conference in Mumbai yesterday. The allegations are purely political in nature and aimed at defaming me and demeaning the BJP government," Bapat said at a press conference here today.
"Since, he has specifically mentioned my name, I will initiate a legal action soon against him," he said.
Opposition Nationalist Congress Party yesterday alleged that there was a scam related to seized stocks of pulses in the state and claimed that the food and civil supplies minister was involved in it.

Malik had further alleged that the government deliberately gave the dal back to the hoarders to sell it to consumers at Rs 200 per kg.
"When the seizure of tur dal stocks in monetary terms was to the tune of Rs 175 crore, to allege that it was a Rs 2,000 crore scam, reflects Malik's ignorance as well," Bapat said.
On the skyrocketing prices of pulses, especially the staple tur dal, the minister attributed it to a demand-supply mismatch and said the government could do little about it.
Bapat, who also holds Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, was in the city to review preparations for the forthcoming Winter Session of the state Legislature which commences here from December 7.