Illegal mining: Naveen should resign as Odisha CM: Narasingha

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Oct 23: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should resign from his post forthwith to facilitate a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the mega mining scam if he still was against corruption, said Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Legislative Assembly and senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra here on Friday.Addressing a press conference, Mishra said Patnaik should immediately hand over the mining scam cases to the CBI for fair investigation in view of the strong evidence about his alleged involvement in the mining scam and involvement of many of his Ministerial colleagues and Bureau crats.The alleged involvement of Patnaik and his Ministers had come out in the final report of the Central Empower Committee appointed by the Supreme Court of India that is hearing public interest litigations seeking CBI probe into the mega illegal mining scam, Mishra observed.Patnaik should resign to facilitate a proper investigation by the CBI so that people will have faith in his old stand against corruption, he added.“The Chief Minister should apply the same yardstick that he used in the past to oust many of his Ministers who came under the shadow of corruption,” the Congress leader said.“No credible investigation will be possible as long as Patnaik remains Chief Minister.” Many mining companies were shown undue favours by Patnaik and all those companies continued illegal mining for long years violating the existing rules and provisions, Mishra alleged.Reading out from the pages of the CEC report on illegal mining in Odisha, Mishra alleged that Patnaik and his close friend and former Cabinet colleague A.U.Singh Deo had passed orders for renewal of lease and transfer of lease pertaining to Thakurani B iron ore mines in Keonjhar in August 2001 by ignoring the objections raised by then Chief Secretary of the State.