Dal Scam: Cong demands CBI probe, BJP to take matter to Prez

Bhubaneswar, Feb 7 (PTI) Demanding a CBI probe intothe dal scam in Orissa, Congress today staged a silent dharnaoutside Raj Bhavan here while BJP planned to seek PresidentPratibha Patil''s intervention.

Some women organisations also asked Chief MinisterNaveen Patnaik to resign taking moral responsibility forfeeding "poisonous" pulses to children and pregnant women.

Activists of Youth Congress led by their statepresident and Lok Sabha MP Pradeep Kumar Majhi, sat on asilent dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan here by coveringtheir mouth with black cotton.

They submitted a memorandum to Governor M C Bhadareseeking CBI probe into fraud in purchase of pulses for middaymeal scheme and supplementary nutrition programme.

"We will take agitation to the village level as thepoor children and women are victims of gross irregularitiesdone by the state government," Majhi told reporters holdingthe administration responsible for adverse impact on healthof women and children due to consumption of infected pulses.

Coinciding with Congress''s silent protest, BJPnational general secretary Kiriti Somaya arrived here on afact finding mission and collect samples of bad quality dalgiven to children and women in different districts of Orissa.

"The party will submit a report on the dal scam inOrissa to the President of India with evidence," Somaya said.

A 12-member team will begin their ''fact finding''tomorrow, said BJP''s state president Jual Oram.

A group of women activists under the banner of AgraniMahila Sangathan and Nai Talim asked the chief minister tostep down owning moral responsibility of the scam.

Meanwhile, chief secretary B K Patnaik said theofficials including IAS officers would be chargesheeted fortheir role in the dal scam.