Odisha cash haul: BJP stages protest in J-K, demands action against Cong MP

The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit on Saturday held a protest over the recovery of a huge amount of "unaccounted for" cash in Odisha and demanded stern action against Congress MP Dhiraj Prasad Sahu.

The protesters also burnt an effigy of Sahu.

The seizure of "unaccounted for" cash after Income Tax department raids against an Odisha-based distillery group and its linked entities is expected to reach Rs 290 crore, making it the "highest-ever" black money haul by any agency in a single operation, official sources said Saturday.

Premises linked to Sahu were also covered as part of the searches, the sources said.

Shouting anti-Congress slogans, the BJP activists assembled outside the Press Club in the heart of Jammu and held a peaceful demonstration.

Setting ablaze an effigy of the Congress' Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand, they also demanded that Sahu be arrested immediately.

The protesters were led by Yudhvir Sethi -- the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit vice-president -- and the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's chief in the Union Territory Arun Prabhat.

"The recovery of unaccounted for cash by the Income Tax department exposed the loot by Congress leaders Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policy will ensure that each penny looted from the nation will be recovered from such leaders, who will be sent to jail," Sethi said.

The Yuva Morcha's Prabhat accused Congress leaders of looting the country and said they should not be spared.

"This money belongs to the public and should be utilised for their welfare," he said.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said his administration has "zero tolerance" against corruption.

On International Anti-Corruption Day, Sinha said in a post on X, "Jammu and Kashmir has a zero-tolerance approach to corruption. On International Anti-Corruption Day, let us reaffirm our resolve to build a 'corruption-free Jammu and Kashmir'."

"We must be #UnitedAgainstCorruption to ensure probity in governance, social justice & speed up socio-economic development," he further said.