The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the recent seizure of Rs 350 crore cash from liquor traders by the Income Tax department.
Demanding a clarification from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Odisha BJP chief Manmohan Samal said, “BJD should clarify the ownership of the seized cash. Does it belong to the traders or the BJD’s party fund?”
“It is impossible to hoard such a huge amount of cash at one place without the help of the government. The Chief Minister should resign from his position on moral grounds,” Samal demanded.
He further alleged, “The cash belonged to the BJD and it would have been used in the next elections to influence the voters. Had the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) and the Vigilance acted and caught these liquor traders, Income Tax raids would not have been required.”
Meanwhile, the BJD responded to Samal’s allegations by saying the BJP is levelling allegations only for the sake of it and it does not have any proof.
“Nobody has guts to bring corruption charges against CM Naveen Patnaik personally. If the Opposition levels charge only for the sake of it, then we do not have anything to say,” said BJD vice-president Prasanna Acharya.
Yesterday, the BJP had questioned CM Naveen Patnaik’s silence on the cash seizure by I-T department.
“The Chief Minister, who always says the law will take its own course, is surprisingly silent on this cash seizure case. Why is he silent? Does he fear the probe will expose a link between Naveen Niwas and the liquor mafias?” BJP asked.