UP Power Minister attacks opposition over UPPCL scam

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Shrikant Sharma, on Sunday, mounted a blistering attack on the Opposition for criticizing the Yogi Adityanath government over the UPPCL scam in which the employees’ provident fund has been invested in the Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL).

“We have taken the matter seriously and within hours the FIR was registered, two officials arrested and a CBI probe has been recommended in the case because we pursue the zero-tolerance policy for corruption,” he said while addressing a press conference here.

The trust secretary P.K. Gupta and director finance Sudhanshu Dwiwedi transferred the money to the DHFL in March 2017. “Both have been arrested and sent to jail,” he stated.

The minister said that Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has been issuing statements on the matter without doing his homework.

“Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others. As for the ‘princess’ (referred to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra), she is doing what the ‘prince’ (Rahul Gandhi) does. Their politics is limited to Twitter,” he said.

Also Read: EPF Money Invested In DHFL In Whose Interest, Asks Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

“Priyanka should first respond to allegations about property in London, leveled against her husband, before attacking a government led by a saint,” he stated.

Sharma said that the ‘tunnel of corruption’ was dug before 2014 and Yadav should give an answer on the issue because this corruption began in his tenure.

“Our government has taken steps to punish the guilty in this scam,” he added.

Meanwhile, the employees of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) have welcomed the recommendation for a CBI inquiry into the scam and have demanded the removal of Chairman and Managing Director of UP Power Corporation Limited to enable an impartial probe into the scam.

The state government has assured the employees and engineers of the UPPCL that their funds would not be siphoned off and the government would take all possible steps to ensure that the employees do not suffer.

(IANS)