Janjivan Bureau
New Delhi/ Bhubaneswar: The BJD and Congress demanded oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation following media reports alleging that his tour expenditures were paid by one Sudhir Sharma, said to be a kingpin in the Vyapam scandal in Madhya Pradesh. But Pradhan deny the allegation.
The Congress has dragged Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan,BJP leader Prabhat Jha into the Vyapam scam. The party alleged that an internal assessment document prepared by the income-tax department — after the 2013 raids in the houses and offices of mining baron and Vyapam accused Sudhir Sharma — has stated that the accused paid for air tickets of Pradhan.
BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said Pradhan should immediately quit his post and cooperate with the CBI investigating the Vyapam scam. The Congress in a media release echoed similar demand. “The Union minister should tender his resignation to ensure a fair, independent and impartial probe in a scam in which 49 people have since lost their lives,” the release said.
Pradhan’s office here however denied the charge. “The minister has no link with any accused of the Vyapam scam. As the party’s general secretary, his tickets were booked by the party headquarters,” said an aide of Pradhan.