Govt ready to discuss chitfund scam in assembly: Naveen

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said the government was ready for discussion on the multi-crore chitfund scam in the Assembly as demanded by the opposition Congress and the BJP.
"I have already said that neither the party nor the government is involved in that (chitfund scam). It is some individuals who are involved in the matter. As far as opposition parties are concerned, we are ready for discussion on the matter in the assembly," Patnaik told reporters after presiding over the BJD Legislature Party meeting, a day before the winter session of the assembly, which commences tomorrow.
Stating that his party members would raise issues relating to the development of the state and welfare of the people, Patnaik said his government was ready to discuss any issue in the assembly.

Congress and the BJP in their respective legislature party meetings resolved to raise chitfund scam in the assembly as a sitting MP and a sitting MLA of the ruling party have been arrested by the CBI in connection with the chitfund scam.
Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress said "We demand a reply from the Chief Minister as to how such a mega (chitfund) scam could take place without knowledge of the government. Since ruling party leaders have been involved in the scam, the ponzi companies were getting patronage from the government."
Similarly, leader of BJP Legislature Party leader Basant Panda said they would target the ruling party and accused the state government of providing patronage to the ponzi companies.

"We will also raise issues relating to mis-utilisation of discretionary quota by the government, bribe to journalists by a BJD MP, land scam and other issues," Panda said.