"Congress should decide if they trust central agencies": Chhattisgarh Dy CM Sao slams CBI probe demand on Bharatmala project

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 13 : Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao on Sunday lashed out at the Congress for demanding a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in Bharatmala national highway project, calling it "double-facedness" and arguing the party to decide whether it trusts central agencies or not.
In an interview with ANI, Sao said that the Bharatmala project connecting Raipur to Visakhapatnam was initiated during the Congress regime in Chhattisgarh, and irregularities in land acquisition were noted at the time. He added that an Economic Offences Wing (EOW) probe is currently underway and that "whoever is found guilty will be punished."
"Indian government has consistently worked for road development. The Bharatmala project from Raipur to Vizag was passed when the Congress government was in power in the state. Land was acquired back then, and controversies arose. Our government has now decided to launch an EOW probe, and strict action will be taken against the guilty. All the scams occured during the Congress tenure," Sao said.
Highlighting what he termed as Congress's contradictory stance, Sao said, "This is the double-fadedness of Congress (on demand of CBI investigation). When the ED initiates an investigation, they speak against it, and now they are demanding a CBI probe. They should first decide whether they trust central agencies or not. This is the same Congress government that had banned the CBI in Chhattisgarh. Our government has zero tolerance against corruption. The EOW probe is on, and everything will come to light."
The Congress had recently demanded a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in land compensation distribution under the Raipur-Vishakhapatnam Economic Corridor project of the Bharatmala initiative.
Calling Congress's allegations of central control over investigative agencies "baseless, unfounded, and rehearsed," Sao said, "The liquor scam, coal scam, and Mahadev betting scam all happened under the Congress regime. Investigations were also initiated during their rule. These are consequences of their own misdeeds," Sao said.
"You looted the poor public. The central agencies can't sit silent. They will question you," he added.
Speaking on the BJP's sweeping victory in the recent civic body polls in Chhattisgarh, Sao attributed the win to the people's trust in the BJP and took another swipe at the Congress over alleged corruption.
"The people of Chhattisgarh are simple and cannot be misled. They were deceived in 2018 by slogans, but after five years of misrule, they saw through the Congress. Development was stalled, and only loot and corruption took place. This victory is the people's mandate in favour of BJP's commitment to development," he said.
Polling for 10 Municipal Corporations, 49 Municipal Councils, and 114 Nagar Panchayats in Chhattisgarh was held in February this year.
The BJP won mayoral posts in all ten municipal corporations and also won the chairperson's post in 35 municipal councils and 81 Nagar Panchayats across the state.