EPF scam: Akhilesh Yadav holds UP CM Yogi responsible, demands resignation

Lucknow, Nov 05: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday trashed allegations that the EPF money of UP power employees was transferred to the scam-hit DHFL in his regime and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, holding him responsible for the "mess".

Making a fresh demand for a probe by a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge into the alleged EPF scam, Yadav said the FIR in the EPF matter clearly states when the money was transferred to DHFL.

"No EPF money of power employees was transferred to the Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited during the previous SP regime," the former chief minister asserted at a hurriedly convened press conference here.

"Adityanath should step down. The CM is so weak that he cannot even ask state power minister Shrikant Sharma to resign," Yadav said.

Over Rs 2,600 crore of the state power employees' provident fund was allegedly invested in scam-hit housing finance firm DHFL. The SP chief claimed that "The government is afraid and hiding the truth. There is infighting going on within the government...Over 300 MLAs (of BJP) do not like the CM (Yogi Adityanath)".

"Why did the CM say in a review meeting that two years' of work in the PWD and power departments should be reviewed. The CM is so weak that he cannot even remove his own minister though he must be desiring to do so," he said.

Terming the present regime as "nathuram raj", Yadav claimed that in his regime maximum power was generated in the state and consumers are now paying highest power bills.

"No new transmission line was started in this regime.The present government is ruining the power department," he charged.