BJP demands CM's resignation, CBI probe

The leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha, Ajay Bhatt, alleged on Thursday that the sting operation has exposed how the Congress-led State Government is using IAS officers for corruption. “It is clear that on the direction of the Chief Minister Harish Rawat, a deal involving crores was struck to give monopoly to the liquor mafia. The deal was done by none other than the secretary to the Chief Minister Mohammad Shahid as shown in the sting operation,” the BJP leader said. 

Bhatt demanded resignation of the Chief Minister on moral ground aside from a CBI probe into the matter. A BJP delegation would meet the Governor over this issue on July 25, he added.While interacting with the media persons at State BJP office, Bhatt rejected Chief Minister’s announcement that he would take action only after State DGP probed the case and the forensic test of video footages and audio sounds of sting operation CD was done. State DGP being himself embroiled in land scam can hardly do a fair inquiry into a case in which an IAS officer is involved. He said a CBI probe alone can unravel things.

Bhatt further said that despite the model code of conduct being  in  force for  2014 General Election,  Chief Minister amended the excise policy on March 25 and directed that it would be implemented from June 1, 2014. “The Chief Minister did not care to take his colleagues of the Cabinet on board on the changes he effected in the excise policy. Moreover, principal secretary (excise), commissioner (excise) and under secretary (excise), who are   IAS officers, had objected to the amendment in 14-year-old excise policy. But Chief Minister remained adamant,” he said.  

“During the election campaign, I had raised the issue and asked the State Government to explain the rationale  behind the  amendment. I also had said something hush-hush was happening in the form of ‘under table deals’ with the liquor mafia. CM rubbished my contention, claiming everything was above board,” he added.

He further said, “I had raised this issue several times during the Assembly session too  and demanded discussion on the amended excise policy. But the State Government had rejected it. Now the murky things coming before public glare, Congress and the state government stand exposed.” He alleged that CM has kept around 30 persons as PRO, OSD and advisors and they are all looting the State together.  “However, the fount of all corruption is the CM himself,” he said.

He further said scenario of Uttarakhand is bleak for the upright IASs under the Congress regime. BJP would continue to raise the issue of corruption with full vigour  in the coming days, he averred.