Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat rejects BJP allegations, calls the party 'desperate'

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat today rejected BJP's allegations of corruption against him over alleged changes in liquor policy saying the party was "desperate" and making the charge to deflect national attention from scams involving its top leaders.

At the same time, he promised action against Mohammad Shahid, his personal secretary, who the BJP has alleged had demanded commissions from private dealers for being given liquor license, if it is proved that he was the one doing it in a video clipping shot during a sting operation.

Addressing a press conference shortly after Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused him of accumulating illegal wealth by tweaking liquor policy by benefiting private liquor dealers, he said the charges were "baseless" and "far from truth".

He was reacting to Sitharaman's charges at a press conference in Delhi where she had produced a video clipping of a sting operation purportedly showing Rawat's Personal Secretary talking to liquor dealers allegedly demanding commission for giving them licenses.

"BJP is trying to divert public attention from the charges of corruption against their ministers by setting up these baseless and false allegations.

"There were no changes in FL2 (foreign liquor) policy because it is in the hands of public sector undertakings (PSU). Since they are not in private hands why would we talk to private parties?" Rawat asked.

Changes were instead brought in the country liquor policy framed by the erstwhile BJP government, he said.

Questioning the veracity of the video, Rawat said he had ordered that it should be sent for forensic examination once they obtain it.

"The audio and video is not clear. I have ordered it (clipping) to be procured and sent for forensic tests. There is no clarity as to when it was recorded. If anyone is found guilty action will be taken," he said.