Slamming Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for writing to the Centre favouring a coal block to Hindalco, opposition BJP and Congress today sought to know why he had "selectively recommended" the case of Aditya Birla Group, giving it "preferential treatment".
Claiming that the Chief Minister gave a statement on his own yesterday as he feared that CBI was coming to examine him, BJP Odisha unit President K V Singhdeo said the clarification was nothing but a "panic reaction".
Voicing similar views, Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Bhupinder Singh told reporters separately "nobody sought a clarification from Patnaik and I cannot understand why he came out with an explanation for his act of writing to the prime minister and recommending the case of Hindalco."
After Hindalco episode, probe should be launched to find out other companies for whom the chief minister had recommended allocation of coal blocks or other mines, the senior Congress leader said.
"Irregularities in coal and other mining operations in the state should now be investigated by CBI," he said, adding Congress had all along been demanding a white paper on mining scam and CBI probe into the matter which was turned down by the state government and now the premier investigating agency is about to knock the door of the chief minister.
Singhdeo said Patnaik's explanation that the recommendation in favour of Hindalco was made keeping the best interests of the state, was 'unconvincing', while Singh sought to know how many jobs had been generated by CM's act.
Claiming that though many other industries wanted coal blocks, Patnaik chose to plead for Hindalco, both the leaders said the chief minister must explain why he gave "preferential treatment and selectively recommended" the case of Hindalco instead of following the policy of a level playing field.
The BJP leader said the Chief Minister was trying to shift the buck to the Centre by stating that the final decision for coal block allocation rested with it, while Singh said the BJD government in Odisha was following a policy in order to "favour selected" corporate houses.
Claiming that Aditya Birla group's application for coal block had been rejected in 1999 during NDA rule when Patnaik was Union minister, Singhdeo said, "It is surprising how Patnaik went against the stand taken by the government in which he was a minister."
"The UPA government should also explain why the decision of the previous NDA rule was reversed," he said.
