Why is government scared of CBI probe? Asks BJP

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the State Government has been rejecting the Opposition demand for a CBI probe into the multi-crore mining scam, the BJP on Wednesday sought to know as to why the former is scared to hand over the case to the Central agency. The State executive committee of the party, which met here to discuss strategy for the ensuing elections to the three-tier panchayati raj institutions, said that the State Vigilance is not competent to probe the mining scam because of its wide ramification, spreading beyond the boundary of the country. The entire Opposition is for a CBI probe because they feel the Central agency is competent enough to go to the bottom of the scam and this will help the Government to stem the rot. The Government by rejecting the Opposition demand time and again has proved that it is not serious about the scam which runs into lakhs of crore rupees. In a separate resolution, the BJP strongly opposed the Posco’s steel project at Paradip. The party is for the industrial progress of the State but not at the cost of the people, the resolution said adding, forceful eviction and displacement of the people is not acceptable. Alleging that the BJD Government is acting like an agent of the big industrial houses, the resolution said that the BJP would not allow acquisition of agricultural land and supply of river water to industries. Farmers of the State are the worst victims of the wrong agricultural policy of the State. While over 200 farmers of the state committed suicide under distress condition, the Government is yet to announce a special package for the debt-ridden farmers who are victims of successive natural calamities. They demanded waiver of all kinds of agricultural loans. Assailing the Government for the deteriorating law and order situation, the party said that people had lost faith on the law enforcing authority and some have raised private militia for their protection. The recent incident at Paradip in which a person was killed and several others injured in a group clash is a glaring example. The party demanded a judicial probe into the incident. The meeting presided over by State  president Jual Oram was attended by senior leaders, including leader of the Legislature Party KV Singhdeo, former ministers BB Harichandan, Bimbadhar Kuanr and general secretaries Panchanan Rout and Nayan Mohanty.