PF scam: UPCC chief fires fresh salvo at Yogi govt

Facing a defamation notice for his remarks on large-scale irregularities in Provident Fund scam in UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu on Tuesday fired a fresh salvo at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accusing him of not only sheltering Power Minister Shrikant Sharma but also all senior officials involved in the scam.

“The CM should clarify that when officers involved in the PF scam during the previous regime were behind the bars, why similar action was not taken against chairman of UPPCL Alok Kumar, chief managing director Sanjay Agarwal and other managing directors posted during BJP regime, who channelled huge sums into the defaulting DHFL company,” asked Lallu while producing bank transaction details that the trail of money to DHFL account continued after Yogi took over reins on March 17, 2017.

Addressing mediapersons in Lucknow on Tuesday, Lallu alleged that over Rs 2,300 crore have been transferred into DHFL account between October 7, 2017 and December, 2018 during which Yogi Adityanath was the Chief Minister. He sought to know as to why the government was not taking responsibility of the scam and trying to accuse the previous SP regime.

“We want to know that why is Yogi not removing Shreekant Sharma as Power minisetr, and why he was not getting a case registered against the Power minister, UPPCL Chairman, CMD, MD and other officers and getting them arrested,” asserted Lallu.

The UP Congress chief had earlier accused Yogi Adityanath of openly shielding those involved in huge corruption in his regime and taking action against some petty officials or those involved in irregularities during the previous SP regime in the name of drive against corruption.

Lallu said that the Congress party was totally behind UP Power Corporation employees,who have been agitating for the PF fund. He charged that instead of talking to the employees and resolve ther genuine issue, Yogi was threatening them with invoking impose National Security Act (NSA) against them.

Lallu also raised the issue of brutal lathi charge on farmers in Unnao and claimed that a Congress delegation led by Congress Legislative Party leader, Aradhana Mishra `Mona’ went to Unnao on Tuesday to collect first hand information. The Congress leader said that once Aradhana submitted her report, Congress workers would fight against the Yogi government on the road as well in the Assembly till the farmers got their dues.