Uttarakhand flood relief scam: BJP protests against no CBI probe

DEHRADUN: Scores of BJP workers today held a protest against the Congress government in the state for ruling out a CBI probe into the alleged bungling of funds meant for rehabilitation of victims of the 2013 flash floods.

Led by party's Uttarakhand president Tirath Singh Rawat and host of other party leaders, including former chief ministers B C Khanduri, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Ajay Bhatt, BJP workers marched from near the secretariat here to the chief minister's residence on Cantt road to gherao it.

Addressing party workers in the procession, Tirath criticised the state government for ruling out a CBI probe into the irregularities that came to the surface in response to an RTI query.

He announced that the party will continue to hold protest demonstrations like this till a probe by the apex investigating agency was ordered into the scam.

Alleging that the scam took place at a time when the state was struggling to come to terms with the worst disaster in its history, Tirath said it had muddied Uttarakhand's reputation outside the state.

Khanduri also said if the chief minister did not put an end to scams, BJP will further intensify its agitation against the state government.

After over an hour of vehement protest, police personnel detained the BJP leaders and workers.

They were loaded in several trucks and taken to the police lines before being released.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat who has ordered a chief secretary level probe into the matter already recently said it did not deserve a CBI probe.