Accusing Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas of attempting to make the Paradip Refinery inauguration event as a political programme of BJP, senior BJD minister Damodar Rout today demanded a proper probe into the "misuse" of public money in publicity.
"IOCL at the instruction of Pradhan, who is a Minister of state, has been spending crores of rupees on publicity of its refinery project. How will it benefit the oil major? There should be a proper investigation into it," Rout, also the vice-president of the ruling party, told reporters here.
Alleging that crores of public money were being spent in the name of the refinery project inauguration, Rout said huge hoardings of Pradhan along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been installed at many places.
Noting that the Supreme Court has categorically directed that pictures of ministers cannot be publicised with public money, Rout alleged hundreds of such pictures were on the road sides.
Rout, also the MLA from Paradip, said he along with the people of Odisha would like to know for what public cause the IOCL has been spending money towards publicity.
BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma, however, asked Rout to contact Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik if he wants to know the reply from the Centre.
"Rout is feeling insecure in the party and it is better he should speak to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik instead of passing comments like this," Sharma said.
Few days ago, the IOCL authorities had removed some of the hoardings carrying Pradhan's picture after the district administration of Jagatsinghpur cautioned the oil major about the possible violation of the Supreme Court directive.
Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate IOCL's 15 MMTPA state-of-the-art refinery built at an investment of Rs 35,000-crore in Paradip on February 7.
