Sting operation fabricated, produced by BJP media cell: CM's media in-charge

Chief minister Harish Rawat’s media in-charge Surendra Kumar Agarwal has said the sting operation showing alleged corruption in functioning of Uttarakhand Government is a fabricated clip produced and directed by the BJP media cell. He alleged that it was the BJP leaders in Uttarakhand who are hand in glove with the liquor syndicate.

Addressing the media here on Thursday, Agarwal said, “I have been saying for about six months now that the BJP leaders in Uttarakhand have links with the liquor syndicate. These leaders have made all efforts to ensure that the interests of liquor syndicate are not affected in the State. As per the excise policy implemented in Uttarakhand fromMay 1 this year, the liquor business was taken away from private hands and handed over to Government agencies like Mandi Samiti, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam. The liquor syndicate has also approached the High Court against this change seeking that the liquor trade be handled by the private sector instead of Government agencies. The BJP State leadership has kept the party’s central leadership in the dark about this and other related issues. Due to this, what union minister and senior BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman told the media citing the sting operation appears to be the opposite of verifiable facts in Uttarakhand.” 

On being asked for a response to former Uttarakhand chief minister and Sitarganj MlA Vijay Bahuguna stating that he was not in favour of excise policy being altered by the Harish Rawat Government, Agarwal said that Bahuguna’s opinion is valued in the Congress but the decision regarding the excise policy was taken by the State cabinet. He said that the CM had directed the State director general of police to procure the CD of the sting operation and probe into the matter. On being told about the BJP stating that the DGP himself has cases against him, Agarwal said that there is a difference between having cases against one and being proven guilty by the law. 

He averred that lack of clarity in communication on the mobile phone had resulted in confusion due to which a Congress national spokesman had stated on Wednesday that the CM’s personal secretary had been suspended whereas no such suspension has been ordered.