Says he resigned to ensure that the ED episode does not affect Congress’ prospects
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Former chief minister Harish Rawat has resigned from the posts he was holding in the Congress party following the raid conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on one his close aides in Dehradun on Friday. However, he has clarified that the Congress party is “in his blood and bones” and that he has resigned from the posts he was holding in the party in order to ensure that the entire episode does not affect Congress party’s narrative to fight corruption in the State. Rawat is a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the top executive body of the Congress party and the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC).
On Friday, the ED raided the house of Chandan Singh Jeena who was the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) when Rawat was the CM of the State. The ED recovered Rs 32 lakh in cash, 13 gold coins, seven gold chains and expensive watches in the raid conducted in connection with the VPDO examination conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Committee (UKSSC) in the year 2016.
Following the ED raid, Rawat took to social media and said that Jeena held important responsibilities as his OSD. Terming Jeena as a hardworking and decent person, Rawat said that he has no belief on the allegation levelled against him. He added that if Jeena was involved in tampering with the OMR sheets of the said examination then it is a matter of shame for him.
The former CM announced that though he does not hold any government position, he will tender his resignation from the CWC and PCC so that the Congress party’s chances are not affected due to him.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has expressed its full support for Rawat. The PCC president Ganesh Godiyal said the raid was conducted at a time when the Vidhan Sabha elections in the State are near. He said that the raid clearly shows that the BJP government is using central agencies as a tool against political opponents. Godiyal said that Rawat efficiently discharged his duties as the CM of the State and when the VPDO examination recruitment irregularities came to his notice, he immediately ordered cancellation of the examination and an inquiry was conducted. “What have the Central government and its agencies been doing for the last 10 years? They have woken up from slumber after so many years at a time when the elections are near. The people of the State understand the motive of the BJP government very well,’’ he said.
