Uttarakhand BJP demands Rawat's resignation on liquor scam

Uttarakhand BJP today demanded Chief Minister Harish Rawat's the resignation in connection with his alleged involvement in the 'liquor scam' and warned of 'continuous' stir across the state.
BJP state President Tirath Singh Rawat and Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Ajay Bhatt said that Harish Rawat should resign taking moral responsibility of the scam and the party will hold state-wide demonstrations and protests until he steps down.
The BJP leaders will also meet Governor K K Paul and will request him to apprise the Centre about state's condition, they said in a press conference here.
"Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat's secretary Mohammad Shahid has also been figured in the sting video and keeping this in view, the CM cannot run away from his responsibilities," they said.

"Shahid must have been bargaining on the directions of the CM and that's why he should not continue on moral ground," Tirath Singh said.
He said that after the video tape of a sting operation, it is clear that corruption is prevailing under chief minister's nose and he is sheltering the corrupt people.

The LoP leader Ajay Bhatt alleged that 26 persons including Chief Minister's advisors and Public Relation Officers are actively carrying out such "dealings" at the state secretariat.
The Chief Minister had brought Shahid, an IAS officer from Gujarat cadre, to Uttarakhand and it is very clear with whose "support" he is doing these "bargainings", he said.

Bhatt alleged that for getting a favourable report prepared on the alleged relief scam for the 2013 calamity, Rawat has purportedly offered Chief Information Commissioner's post to Chief Secretary N Ravishankar once he retires.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had yesterday released a CD of the sting operation in which Rawat's personal secretary Mohammad Shahid is shown purportedly bargaining with middlemen and private liquor distributors about the commission to be given to him for allowing them instead of government undertakings to distribute liquor in Dehradun.
Later, Harish Rawat rejected BJP's allegations of corruption against him over alleged changes in liquor policy.