HP BJP demands resignation of CM following arrest of official

Himachal BJP today demanded resignation of chief minister Virbhadra Singh on "moral grounds" following the arrest of joint director of industries Tilak Raj by CBI in an alleged graft case.

"The arrest of Raj has exposed the claims of zero corruption in governance and proved that the allegations of mafia rule in the state are true and as such the chief minister should resign on moral grounds and pave way for fresh elections," state chief spokesman of the BJP Rajiv Bindal said.

He said that "rampant corruption" has "stalled" investment in the state and the industrial growth.

"The BJP has been critical of chief minister for granting extensions and reemploying the retired officials and now it is clear that it has been done with a design," Bindal said.

Demanding a high-level probe into the alleged bribery case against the official, former state BJP president and sitting MLA from Shimla (Urban) Suresh Bhardwaj said it has proved that "transfer mafia" is active in the state and "corrupt officers are grabbing plum postings".

Meanwhile, the government toady claimed that the arrested officer had nothing to do with the chief minister's office (CMO).

"The CMO is being unnecessarily dragged into unsavoury controversy. The news appearing in a section of press in this regard are malicious, false, uncalled for and an attempt to malign the image of the state Government," an official spokesman said.

"The government would not tolerate corruption as it was committed to provide a responsive and corruption-free governance to the people of the state," he added.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)