Congress demands SC-monitored probe in chit fund and mining scams

Odisha Channel Bureau New Delhi: Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertions of ‘Zero tolerance against corruption’ and ‘Na Khaunga – Na Khane Doonga’ are but hollow slogans, Congress on Sunday demanded Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into the chit fund and mining scams in Odisha.Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan alleged that Modi was ensure the support of the BJD MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha by blackmailing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik by misusing the CBI.While the CBI is already investigating into the chit fund scam as per the orders of the Supreme Court, the Modi Government has not ordered a CBI probe into the mining scam despite the recommendations of the Justice M.B.Shah Commission, which investigated into the illegal mining scam in Odisha.The Shah Commission had recommended that “the CBI may be directed to investigate into allegations of corruption made against politicians, Bureau crats and others”, both leaders pointed out.In a statement issued by the press conference, they said that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertions of ‘Zero tolerance against corruption’ and ‘Na Khaunga – Na Khane Doonga’ are but hollow slogans, which have been repeatedly contradicted by Modi himself in not initiating decisive actions against corruption and people accused of corruption.” Congress Party has also steadfastly maintained that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is leading a massively corrupt regime involved in blatant loot of precious resources of Odisha and its people, they added.“We now stand vindicated with shocking revelations, which prove that Prime Minister is not letting the CBI investigate into the charges of corruption against the Naveen Patnaik Government in the chit fund and mining scams.In fact, we stand vindicated qua the fact that BJP and BJD are in cahoots in looting the resources and people of Odisha.“This vindication comes shockingly and truly as evidence from none less than Prime Minister’s Cabinet colleague from Odisha and Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram.The two leaders said that Oram has left very little to speculation by making a categorical statement to the effect that “the Central government has let the state government off in many issues including chit fund and mining scams.Had it not been the case, the CBI would have finished them off already.They should thank the Centre for it.”Oram had further said that the “CBI investigation has actually slowed down but still going on.Everyone knows the investigation has slowed down. It is not going at the accepted speed”, they said.“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is blatantly misusing the CBI to protect Naveen Patnaik Government, rather than letting it investigate and prosecute the guilty,” they alleged.Oram’s clear-cut admission is confirmation of what Congress Party has maintained for long.The BJD Government of Odisha is involved in ‘mining scam’ worth thousands of crores and its Ministers, MPs and MLAs are neck deep in the ‘Chit Fund’ Scam that defrauded ordinary people to the tune of thousands of crores of rupees, they said in the statement.They demanded that the Prime Minister as the executive head of CBI breaks his silence and explains as to what is being done by the “Captive Bureau of Investigation (CBI)” at the demands made by its political masters.