Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has dismissed two ministers from his cabinet on Monday. Two ministers includes, state minister for mining Gayatri Prasad Prajapati and Panchayati Raj minister Raj Kishore Singh. His decision has been informed to the Governor Ram Naik.

Moolchand Chauhan, minister for horticulture and food processing will now head the mining department, while social welfare minister Ram Govind Choubey will have the additional charge of Panchayati Raj.

According to the reports, both the ministers were facing allegation of corruption and land grabbing. Earlier, in July 28, the Allahabad High Court had ordered CBI probe in mining department and had ordered the investigative agency to submit a status report of the probe within next six weeks. The mining department cabinet minister, Gayatri Prasad Prajapati was facing a Lokayukt probe on corruption charges as well.

Action against Raj Kishore Singh was taken after the allegations of land grabbing leveled against him by people of Basti, his Assembly constituency.

Opposition party Congress’s leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi said, “Illegal mining is rampant in the state and it is an open secret that the minster was promoting it. Now when the HC has taken serious view of the matter and ordered CBI probe, the CM's decision is if hardly any consequence.”

BJP State General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said, “The decision should have been taken earlier.”

By Prajakt K.