The opposition BJP in Odisha on Thursday asked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to resign from his post on moral grounds following the seizure of over Rs 350 crore from liquor traders in the state by the Income Tax Department.
The demand was made by BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal.
"How can a liquor trader store such a huge amount of money? The state's BJD government has patronage liquor trade and kept its funds for use during the upcoming elections," Samal alleged seeking clarification from the ruling Biju Janata Dal on the huge black money.
He said the ruling party must make it clear as to who owned such a huge amount of cash. Samal said it is impossible to hoard such a huge amount of cash without the support and assistance of the state government.
"Had the state Vigilance or Economic Offences Wing (EOW) acted and caught these liquor traders, Income Tax raids would not have been required", he said.
The BJD strongly rejected Samal's statement and accused him of making wild allegations against the chief minister under pressure from an Odia Central minister.
BJD vice president Prasanna Acharya said that nobody has the guts to bring corruption charges against Naveen Patnaik and he is known across the country for honesty and integrity.
In a separate press conference, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said: "It seems that the Odisha state BJP president has more facts compared to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Central Ministers on the matter of Income Tax raid".
Mohanty said the prime minister on December 8th and 12th had posted messages on X twice. "From PM's posts, it was clear that seized cash belonged to a Congress Rajya Sabha MP and Congress was responsible for it. We request Manmohan Babu that if he has more facts than their central leadership, then let him place it before them," Mohanty said.
The BJD spokesperson also said that from a raid in UP Rs 500 crore cash and gold were found with a businessman.
"Income Tax Department is also repeatedly conducting raids in Maharashtra and seizing hundreds of crores of cash and gold. What is Manmohan Babu trying to say, that the recovered cash and gold found in BJP-ruled states are property of BJP leaders," Mohanty asked.
