Former MP and a member of BJP national executive committee, Satpal Maharaj said that the alleged 2013-disaster scam, which was revealed through RTI, should be referred for CBI inquiry.
He was reacting to the PCC president Kishore Upadhyay’s comment that disaster scam inquiry should conducted by any social organisation so that people come to know about how BJP is harping on this issue to divert the public attention from real issues like inflation and others. He suggested to the chief minister Harish Rawat to refer this case to CBI because by delaying the referral of this matter to CBI he is showing his immaturity and nothing else.
Maharaj said that CBI is an institution and people have faith in it. If an inquiry is conducted through CBI then everyone would believe the findings. Chief secretary conducted inquiry and gave clean chit to all the guilty officers but instructed officials to take administrative action against the officials especially public information officer (PIO), who disseminated wrong information and brought embarrassment to the state. On the one hand State Government has sent message across the state that those not following the government’s footsteps should be ready to face music and on the other hand they have patted on the back the corrupt officers who are ready to go to any extent to appease their political bosses.
By conducting chief secretary level inquiry, state government has tried to hush-up the case by conducting an inquiry by its own officials into corruption by government officials. He appealed the chief minister to ascertain his claim about there being no scam in disaster relief
by referring this case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Being a State head chief minister is bound to answer public queries. He has a long exposure in his political journey so he can understand the pulse of the people and currently people are demanding an independent inquiry. By doing this he can show his political maturity and ascertain his prudence as well, added Maharaj.