BJP seeks governor''s sanction to prosecute Naveen

Bhubaneswar, Feb 16 (PTI) Intensifying its attack onthe BJD Government in Orissa over pulses scam, BJP todaysought the Governor''s sanction to prosecute Chief MinisterNaveen Patnaik and demanded a wider probe into the supply ofpulses for children and pregnant women in all 30 districts.

Demanding immediate resignation of the Chief Minister,a BJP delegation met Governor M C Bhandare and sought hissanction for prosecution of Patnaik for supply of allegedlysubstandard dal for mid-day meal and supplementary nutritionprogramme.

"The chief minister should step down forthwith as dalscam is a serious matter. The government played with the livesof children and pregnant women by feeding them rotten andcontaminated pulses," state BJP President Jual Oram toldreporters after their meeting with the Governor.

In addition, the probe being conducted by thevigilance department should be widened to cover purchase andsupply of dal for MDM and SNP (Supplementary NutritionProgramme) in all the 30 districts of the state, he said.

Pointing out that the vigilance investigation at presentis confined to only five districts, Oram said the governmentappeared to be reluctant to detect "irregularities" in otherdistricts.

Though Pramila Mallik resigned as Women and ChildDevelopment Miniter in the wake of the scam, BJP has also beendemanding resignation of School and Mass Education MinisterPratap Jena and Urban Development Minister Badri Narayan Patrain connection with coal scam.

Expressing similar views, Leader of the OppositionBhupinder Singh accused the Naveen Patnaik government offailing to take action in any of the scams that rocked thestate during the BJD rule.

No action was taken in mining scam and coal scandaland now irregularities were detected in supply of pulses forMDM scheme and SNP, he said.

Hitting back, senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha memberPyari Mohan Mohapatra said while opposition parties weresilent all these years, the scam was detected following acomplaint by a ruling party MLA.